Essential 8 Maturity Model Overview
Understanding the Essential 8 Maturity Model
When it comes to cyber security, it’s easy to get lost in the jargon. The Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Essential 8 gives businesses a practical set of strategies to defend against common cyber attacks.
But knowing the eight strategies is just the start. The real measure of your cyber resilience is how well you’ve put them in place — and that’s where the Essential 8 Maturity Model comes in.
What is the Essential 8 Maturity Model?
The maturity model is a scoring system used by the ASD to assess how effectively an organisation has implemented the Essential 8 strategies.
It’s not just a checklist — it’s a way to benchmark your organisation’s current defences and set a clear path for improvement.
The model has three levels: ML1, ML2 & ML3
Maturity Levels Breakdown
Maturity Level 1 (ML1) – Basic Protection
This level is designed to stop opportunistic and low-skill attacks.
Controls are in place, but they may not be consistent across the business.
You can repel simple, automated attacks that target known weaknesses.
Suitable for small businesses with lower risk profiles, or as a starting point for organisations beginning their security journey.
Only allow trusted programs to run on your systems. This stops malicious software from sneaking in.
Maturity Level 2 (ML2) – Stronger Protection
At this level, your defences are consistent and designed to counter more advanced and targeted techniques.
Controls are applied uniformly across all users and systems.
There are checks and balances to ensure controls are actually working.
Suitable for businesses in regulated industries, or those handling sensitive information.
Maturity Level 3 (ML3) – Resilient Protection
This is the gold standard within the Essential 8 framework. It protects against sophisticated threats, including those from well-resourced and determined attackers.
Every control is fully embedded into operations.
Security is proactively monitored and improved.
Suitable for Defence industry suppliers, critical infrastructure, and organisations with high-value or high-sensitivity data.
Why Maturity Levels Matter?
Compliance Requirements — Many industries, tenders, and government contracts now expect businesses to meet a specific maturity level.
Risk Management — The higher your maturity level, the lower your likelihood of a successful cyber attack.
Strategic Planning — Knowing your current level helps you budget, plan, and prioritise security improvements.
Common Misunderstandings
“We’re small, so we don’t need ML2 or ML3.”
Even small businesses can be targets. Opportunistic attacks can quickly escalate, especially if you’re in a supply chain.
“ML1 is enough forever.”
Cyber threats evolve. What’s enough today might be inadequate tomorrow. Treat ML1 as a starting point, not a finish line.
“We can jump straight to ML3.”
While it’s possible, most businesses find it more efficient (and cost-effective) to progress through the levels methodically.
How to Improve Your Maturity Level
Improvement starts with an Essential 8 assessment to find your current maturity level and pinpoint gaps. From there, you can build an uplift plan that prioritises quick wins, compliance deadlines, and high-risk areas.
7. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Require a second proof of identity (like a code on your phone) when logging in.
8. Regular Backups
Securely back up important data and make sure you can restore it quickly.
Where to Start?
Most businesses benefit from starting with an Essential 8 assessment to understand their current maturity level and identify priority actions. From there, you can create a targeted uplift plan to reach your compliance and security goals.