How Mature Is Information Technology in Australia?
Information technology in Australia continues to advance each year, so finding a comprehensive cybersecurity plan can be confusing for companies. However, developing mitigation strategies is easier if you follow the Essential Eight Maturity Model from the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC). The model listed three levels or types of maturity for each mitigation strategy.
What Are the Essential Mitigation Strategies?
The eight strategies from the ACSC’s model are:
- Whitelisting applications
- Patching applications
- Configuring Microsoft Office macro settings
- User application hardening
- Restricting administrative privileges
- Patching operating systems
- Multi-factor authentication
- Daily backups
According to the ACSC, maturity has been achieved when the mitigation strategy is ‘partly, mostly or fully aligned’ with the strategy’s goal. Consult an expert on information technology in Australia for a company to meet the government agency’s recommended maturity level.
Which Is the Best Type of Maturity?
Companies that rework their policies for information technology in Australia should target Maturity Level 3 for their mitigation strategies. For instance, whitelisting applications should be used for servers and workstations to prevent the implementation of installers, scripts and software libraries among other executable files. If you want to use multi-factor authentication, different information technology services in Australia allow you to use different tools for authenticating users. However, authentication must consist of at least two ways such as a password and a one-time PIN or fingerprint scan. On the other hand, your strategy for patching applications and operating systems could reach the third-level status if you’re can fix security issues within 48 hours. Companies that are exposed to more serious threats, such as those in the financial services industry, should seek help from the ACSC, especially when they need to learn more about information technology law in Australia.
Who Is the Best Resource for Information Technology in Australia?
The ACSC may be the best resource for information technology legislation in Australia, but your mitigation strategies should have inputs from an IT auditor as well. Schedule an audit at least once every year not only to find out the maturity of your mitigation strategies but also to determine the capacity of your network architecture to withstand potential threats. An IT audit also helps you keep up with the trends in information technology in Australia. How else would you maintain a secure network if you’re unaware of the latest best practices?
The Final Word
While it may not be necessary to implement all eight mitigation strategies for information technology in Australia, you still need to determine the right ones for your business. Schedule an IT consultation today! A one-time session doesn’t take long.
