8 Most Effective Mitigation Strategies for Cyberattacks

In today’s digital age, cybersecurity is more important than ever. With the rise of sophisticated cyberattacks, businesses and individuals alike must take the necessary steps to protect themselves from online threats. The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has developed a set of guidelines called the Essential 8, which provides a framework for organisations to improve their cybersecurity posture and defend against cyber threats.

The Essential 8 is a set of eight mitigation strategies that are considered to be the most effective in preventing cyberattacks. These strategies are:

1. Application whitelisting: This is a security measure that allows only approved applications to run on a system, preventing unapproved or malicious software from executing.
2. Patching applications: Applying security patches to software and applications in a timely manner is essential to prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited by cyber attackers.
3. Patching operating systems: Like applications, operating systems must also be regularly updated to fix vulnerabilities and improve security.
4. Restricting administrative privileges: Limiting access to administrative privileges reduces the risk of a cyber attacker gaining access to critical systems or data.
5. Using multi-factor authentication: This security measure requires users to provide additional authentication factors beyond just a password, making it harder for cyber attackers to gain access to accounts.
6. Backing up important data: Regularly backing up data ensures that critical information can be restored in the event of a cyberattack or system failure.
7. Enabling email filtering: Email filtering helps to prevent phishing attacks by blocking malicious emails before they reach the intended recipient.
8. Blocking suspicious activity: This involves monitoring systems for suspicious activity and blocking any traffic that is deemed to be malicious.

Implementing these strategies can significantly improve an organisation’s cybersecurity posture, reducing the risk of cyberattacks and mitigating the impact of any successful attacks that do occur. However, it’s important to note that the Essential 8 is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each organisation must assess their own unique security risks and implement the mitigation strategies that are most appropriate for their specific situation.

CSW-IT has partnered with Ivanti to create a series of brief tests to determine whether your organisation complies with these recommendations, or alternatively areas that may need improvement, just click here. We can then work with you to achieve compliance should you so wish.

The ACSC recommends that organisations implement the Essential 8 in a prioritised manner, starting with the most critical mitigation strategies first. This allows organisations to achieve the greatest impact on their cybersecurity posture while also avoiding the common mistake of trying to implement too many strategies at once, which can lead to confusion and inefficiency.

In conclusion, the Essential 8 is an important set of guidelines for organisations looking to improve their cybersecurity posture. By implementing these eight strategies in a prioritised manner, organisations can significantly reduce their risk of cyberattacks and protect their critical systems and data from harm. It’s never too late to start implementing these strategies, so take the first step towards a more secure digital future today!