Essential 8 Audit

Strengthen your cyber resilience with an Essential Eight audit. Demonstrate alignment with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) baseline strategies and reduce the risk of targeted cyber intrusions.

Ask an Auditor
Two people typing on a tablet

0K+
Clients Globally

0K+
Active GRC Clients

0+
Years Experience

Build Strength Against Everyday Cyber Threats With Essential Eight

The Essential Eight is Australia’s baseline for cyber defense. Think of it as the “seatbelt and airbags” of your digital world—eight practical steps to stop security risks before they cause harm.

These controls cover the basics: keeping your software patched, protecting your accounts with multi-factor authentication, controlling who has access to what, and making sure backups are ready if something goes wrong. Simple, proven actions that work together like locks on different doors in your house.

For people, families, and communities, this matters. A single breach can put jobs, savings, and trust at risk. By aligning with the Essential Eight, your organization shows you take those risks seriously and are committed to protecting what matters most.

As a registered CPA and Chartered Accountant firm, we bring independence, clarity, and confidence to your Essential Eight journey. Our audits are designed to fit the way you work—cloud-based, efficient, and people-focused. You get a clear view of where you stand today and a roadmap for building stronger defenses tomorrow.

Four Steps to an Essential 8

essential 8

Sep 29

Essential Eight Readiness Assessment

We assess your current security posture against the Essential Eight maturity model, identifying gaps across application controls, patching, access, and recovery processes. This process also involves identifying the systems, applications, and environments in scope for the assessment.

Sep 29

Essential Eight Assessment

We conduct the assessment by mapping your practices and technical configurations to ACSC’s maturity definitions, and validate with testing. We obtain documentary and technical evidence during this assessment and leverage tools to streamline the evidence collection process.

Sep 29

Essential Eight Assessment Report

We provide an independent assessment report mapped to the Essential Eight maturity levels (0–3), giving you clear evidence to share with clients, regulators, and stakeholders.

Sep 29

Ongoing Monitoring & Improvement

Cybersecurity threats evolve quickly. We offer annual or rolling assessments to help you track progress, maintain compliance, and continuously strengthen your defenses.

The Benefits of Essential 8 Assessment

Government-Backed Credibility

The Essential Eight is recognized by the Australian Government, making it a powerful signal of cyber maturity and resilience.

Client Confidence

Demonstrate to customers you protect sensitive data with industry-recognized controls and independent validation.

Actionable Maturity Roadmap

Receive clear insights into your Essential Eight maturity level and practical steps to improve.

Low Disruption, High Value

With streamlined assessments, we minimize business interruption while delivering meaningful cyber resilience outcomes.

Alignment With Global Frameworks

Essential Eight maturity can complement compliance with standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, and NIST.

Future-Proof Security Posture

Our process doesn’t just check compliance boxes—it builds resilience that evolves with emerging threats.

Connect With Us

FAQs

What is the Essential Eight?

What are the Essential Eight maturity levels?

Do I need to achieve Maturity Level 3 across all eight strategies?

Is Essential Eight mandatory?

How does Essential Eight relate to other security frameworks?

Our Essential 8 Audit Practice Leadership

Brian Beal headshot

Brian Beal, CISSP, CISA

Partner, Governance, Risk, & Compliance
Mark Kozer Headshot

Mark Kozer

GRC Manager I
Mi Zhao headshot

Mi Zhao

Innovation Senior Manager

NEWS, EVENTS, AND INSIGHTS

Related Governance, Risk, and Compliance Resources

Insight

Three people looking at a tablet

10 Compliance Standards to Consider

Learn More

White Paper

SOC 2 Compliance wp cover

SOC 2 Compliance: Building Trust Through Risk Management and Scalable Security

Learn More

Case Study

SOC 1 and 2 Case Study: CropTrak

Learn More

Insight

Calculating Headcount for ISO/IEC 42001 Audits

Learn More

White Paper

ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 42001 – Do You Need Both

Learn More

Case Study

Essential 8 Case Study: Airtree

Learn More

Insight

Person with glasses looking at a tablet.

What the 2025 U.S. AI Action Plan Means for Security Leaders

Learn More
Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Let’s talk about your project.

Whether you need to unravel a complex challenge, launch a new initiative, or want to take your business to the next level, we’re here. Share your vision and we can help you achieve it.