Dedicated DISP Environments for SMEs
Full Essential Eight ML2 for DISP Members
If you are an SME pursuing Defence work, full Essential Eight ML2 is required for DISP members. Depending on your circumstances and commercial needs you may not need to uplift your entire corporate network.
Cyber Wyze provides a dedicated DISP environment with the right controls, the right governance, and the ability to prove it when Defence asks for businesses of all sizes.
As a fully managed service, we provide a dedicated DISP environment to meet the Essential Eight ML2 for DISP membership, with evidence and reporting support for your DISP application, Maturity Action Plan (MAP) responses, and your annual Annual Security Report (ASR) obligations.
As an Australian Soverign ICT and Cyber Security provider, Cyber Wyze is focused on the defence industry supply-chain and DISP membership support, our dedicated DISP environments provide a complete end-to-end solution for businesses seeking to enter and grow within the defence industry.
This service is designed for SMEs who are:
1) Applying for DISP now
You need a compliant environment quickly, plus evidence support to answer Defence questions with confidence.
2) Already in DISP, but need a sustainable operating model
You do not want compliance drift, surprise uplift costs, or stress when annual reporting lands.
3) In a Defence supply chain and getting cyber due diligence pressure
You need to show controls are real, managed, and measurable, not a policy folder that never gets updated.
Evidence and assurance
Proof matters more than promises
Defence does not just want controls, they want assurance and evidence.
- DISP Ready Evidence
- Maturity Action Plan Implementation
- Annual Security Report (ASR) Support
What’s included
- Dedicated DISP M365 Tenant
- E8 ML2 controls deployed
- Managed Compliance Operations
- Secure Collaboration Tools
- Ongoing DISP Alignment
Defence-ready IT Environment
A dedicated, Defence-ready IT environment built for DISP expectations, with low upfront cost and evidence support from day one.
Do I need to uplift our whole corporate network for DISP, or can I use a dedicated/isolated environment?
An Essential Eight uplift is the process of elevating your current security controls to meet your target ASD maturity level. This involves implementing missing measures, optimising existing configurations, and embedding practices that sustain compliance over time.
It’s more than passing an audit, it’s about building lasting security maturity that withstands real-world threats and aligns with your strategic objectives.
F.A.Q
Do I need to uplift our whole corporate network for DISP, or can I use a dedicated/isolated environment?
Short answer: In many cases, you do not need to uplift your entire corporate network.
For SMEs, the cleanest pathway is often a dedicated, isolated DISP environment that’s purpose-built for Defence-related workflows and data.
Why this works for SMEs:
- It reduces scope, cost, and disruption.
- It keeps Defence work separate from everyday operations.
- It makes it easier to implement controls consistently and maintain evidence for review cycles.
How Cyber Wyze helps: We deploy a dedicated Microsoft 365 tenant aligned to DISP cyber expectations and Essential Eight ML2, then we manage it ongoing so compliance doesn’t drift.
How do I set up a DISP‑ready Microsoft 365 tenant (dedicated tenant) for Defence work?
A DISP-ready tenant is not just “creating a tenant”. It’s building a tenant with:
- the right security baseline,
- the right identity and admin model,
- the right endpoint hardening,
- the right monitoring and controls.
What you need to do:
- Provision a dedicated M365 tenant (Defence-aligned) with your DISP domain and controlled identities
- Implement Essential Eight ML2 controls in a way you can sustain, not just “turn on”
- Onboard users and devices with consistent configuration and policy enforcement
- Stand up logging, alerting, and evidence collection so you can prove control effectiveness
- Maintain it ongoing, because Defence expects controls to stay working, not “set and forget”
How Cyber Wyze helps: We do this as a turnkey service, we build it, run it, and prove it with evidence support.
What are the DISP Entry Level cyber requirements, do I need Essential Eight Maturity Level 2 (ML2)?
Yes, ML2 is now the baseline expectation for DISP cyber.
Defence has moved the minimum standard to the full Essential Eight at Maturity Level 2, not the old “Top 4”.
What that means for an SME:
- You need the full set of Essential Eight controls implemented to ML2 expectations
- You need the policies, governance, and monitoring behind those controls
- You need the ability to demonstrate controls are actually working (evidence)
Important practical point: Defence reviews this through the application process and ongoing assurance activities, so it’s not just about “passing once”.
What evidence do I need for the DISP cyber security questionnaire, and how do I prepare an evidence pack?
The DISP cyber security questionnaire is where many SMEs get stuck because it’s not just “yes/no”, it often requires supporting evidence.
Typical evidence areas SMEs need to prove:
- Patch management timeframes and enforcement
- Admin privilege restrictions and governance
- Application control and validation results
- MFA and identity control configuration
- Backups, recovery testing, and resilience
- Centralised logging and security monitoring
- Policies and procedures that match what’s implemented
What an “evidence pack” really is:
A structured set of screenshots, logs, reports, and policy artefacts that map directly to questionnaire questions so you can upload and respond quickly, without scrambling.
How Cyber Wyze helps: We design and collect evidence as part of the managed service, so your environment is always in a “ready-to-submit” state.
What is the DISP Maturity Action Plan (MAP) and Annual Security Report (ASR), and how do I complete them?
MAP, Maturity Action Plan
A MAP is best thought of as a roadmap from Defence that outlines gaps, uplift actions, and what they expect you to improve over time. It’s not just a score, it’s a plan you’re expected to act on.
How to complete it well:
- Translate each MAP action into a clear implementation task
- Document what was done, when, and how it will be maintained
- Attach evidence that proves controls are operating, not just intended
ASR, Annual Security Report
The ASR is your annual declaration that you’re continuing to meet DISP obligations. It’s not just admin, Defence can request supporting evidence as part of assurance activities.
How to make ASR painless:
- Maintain a living evidence set throughout the year
- Keep governance documents current
- Use a simple annual compliance rhythm so nothing drifts
How Cyber Wyze helps: We support MAP responses, keep the environment aligned as requirements evolve, and provide ASR evidence support as part of the service.
Why Choose Cyber Wyze for Your Essential 8 Uplift?
We’re more than cyber technicians, we’re business advisors with deep expertise in compliance frameworks like DISP, SMB 1001, and industry-specific standards. That means your uplift is aligned with business outcomes, operational efficiency, and long-term resilience.
Our Approach:
- Business First: We speak the language of leaders, not just IT.
- Compliance Focused: We understand regulatory requirements and how to meet them.
- Practical Solutions: We design security measures that fit your workflows and budgets.
Industries We Support
- Defence Industry Suppliers
- Manufacturing and Engineering
- Professional Services Firms
- Healthcare and Critical Infrastructure
- Software and Technology Providers
- Growing Small to Medium Businesses