In today’s threat landscape, most organizations recognize the need to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and the importance of frameworks like the Essential Eight—but many struggle to implement them effectively.
On the surface, the Essential Eight appears straightforward; eight baseline strategies developed by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) to defend against common cyberattacks.
Yet in practice, compliance often stalls—not because the controls are overly technical, but because organizations face broader challenges such as resourcing, culture, and change management.
This article explores the biggest roadblocks to Essential Eight compliance and offers practical strategies business leaders can use to turn intent into real, measurable resilience.
Roadblock 1: The Financial and Resource Hurdle
The Problem: The cost of implementing new tools, hiring skilled staff, and dedicating employee time to Essential Eight compliance can be prohibitive, especially for small to medium-sized businesses.
Why It’s a Roadblock: Companies often underestimate the total investment required, leading to projects that are underfunded or abandoned.
How to Overcome It:
- Start small: Focus on achieving Maturity Level One as a foundational step.
- Prioritize: Use a risk-based approach to determine which controls or systems need immediate attention.
- Leverage existing tools: Explore how your current software licenses (e.g., Microsoft 365) may already offer some of the required capabilities.
- Consider managed services: Outsourcing some or all of the compliance and maintenance to a managed security provider can be more cost-effective than building an in-house team.
Roadblock 2: The Technical and Legacy System Challenge
The Problem: Many organizations operate with outdated or legacy systems that are difficult to patch, integrate, or secure with modern controls.
Why It’s a Roadblock: Legacy infrastructure creates compatibility issues, increases complexity, and can leave significant security gaps that cannot be addressed easily.
How to Overcome It:
- Isolate legacy systems: Create a segregated network segment for these systems to minimize their risk to the rest of your infrastructure.
- Implement compensating controls: Use other security measures (e.g., strong network firewalls) to protect the legacy systems where direct compliance isn’t possible.
- Plan for modernization: Develop a long-term strategy for migrating away from legacy systems to a more modern, secure environment.
Roadblock 3: The Human and Cultural Barrier
The Problem: Employee resistance to change and a lack of a strong security culture can derail even the best-planned projects.
Why It’s a Roadblock: Employees may view new security measures (like multifactor authentication or restricted privileges) as inconvenient or disruptive to their workflow, leading to workarounds and non-compliance.
How to Overcome It:
- Communicate the ‘why’: Clearly explain the necessity of the changes and how they protect the company and its employees.
- Provide training and education: Conduct regular, engaging training sessions that use real-world examples to show the consequences of security failures.
- Foster a security-first culture: Make security a shared responsibility and reward employees for following best practices.
A Phased Approach to a Secure Future
While the roadblocks to Essential Eight compliance can seem daunting, they are far from insurmountable. By taking a phased, strategic approach that balances technical, financial, and cultural considerations, organizations can turn these challenges into opportunities for stronger resilience.
The Essential Eight Maturity Model can help organizations adopt a phased approach to cybersecurity.
Think of it as an investment, not a cost. Essential Eight compliance pays you back in reduced risk, greater trust, and long-term business continuity. The key is to start small, identify your biggest roadblock, and take the first step today.
Learn how Sensiba can help start your journey toward Essential Eight implementation.
