Advanced cybersecurity controls that build on the Essential Eight. Backup validation, security monitoring, vulnerability scanning, incident response, and network segmentation.
Advanced protections that close gaps beyond the Essential Eight
Builds on Essential Eight maturity for comprehensive defence
Controls increasingly required by cyber insurers and auditors
Epic IT delivering cybersecurity for Perth businesses
If you have already implemented the Essential Eight, your organisation has taken a significant step toward reducing risk. But cyber threats are evolving, and so must your defence.
The Further Five are a recommended set of controls that complement and extend the protections of the Essential Eight. While not part of the original ACSC baseline, they have become recognised as critical for building real-world cyber resilience, especially for organisations handling sensitive data, operating across multiple sites, or seeking formal compliance or insurance alignment.
At Epic IT, we help Perth businesses assess, implement, and maintain the Further Five, turning what is often seen as “advanced security” into manageable, operational protection under your existing managed services agreement.
Each control adds a critical layer of protection beyond standard endpoint, patching, and user controls.
Backups that have never been tested are not backups. They are assumptions. We run routine recovery tests against your backup systems to confirm that your data is actually recoverable when you need it. This includes full restore testing, file-level recovery validation, and documented recovery time benchmarks so your leadership team knows exactly how long a recovery would take.
Detecting suspicious activity before it causes damage is the difference between an alert and an incident. We implement security event monitoring across your environment: failed login attempts, privilege escalation, unusual data access patterns, and lateral movement indicators. Our team reviews alerts and takes action, so you do not need a 24/7 security operations centre of your own.
Every system in your environment has potential weaknesses. Vulnerability scanning proactively identifies them before attackers do. We run regular scans across your internal and external infrastructure, prioritise findings by severity and exploitability, and remediate critical vulnerabilities through your managed services agreement.
When a cyber incident happens, the first 60 minutes determine the outcome. An incident response plan ensures your team knows exactly what to do: who to contact, what to isolate, how to contain the damage, and when to escalate. We develop tailored incident response plans for Perth businesses and test them through tabletop exercises so your team is prepared.
If an attacker compromises one system on a flat network, they can reach everything. Network segmentation limits lateral movement by dividing your network into isolated zones based on function, sensitivity, and risk. We design and implement segmentation that balances security with usability, keeping your teams productive while containing potential breaches.
The Further Five are not standalone controls. They build on and strengthen the protections you have already established through the Essential Eight and SMB1001.
Whether your goal is cyber insurance eligibility, internal governance, or alignment with formal frameworks like ISO 27001, Epic IT helps you build defences that stand up to scrutiny. Our approach is practical: we implement the controls that reduce your risk the most, in the order that makes sense for your business, within a budget you can plan around.
For Perth businesses on our managed services agreement, Further Five controls are implemented and maintained as part of your ongoing security programme. No separate project. No surprise costs.
The Further Five are five advanced cybersecurity controls that extend the protections of the Essential Eight: backup testing and validation, security event monitoring, vulnerability scanning, incident response planning, and network segmentation. Together with the Essential Eight, they form a comprehensive cybersecurity programme for Australian businesses.
The Further Five build on the Essential Eight, so a solid E8 foundation makes them more effective. However, some Further Five controls like incident response planning and backup validation can be implemented in parallel with your E8 programme. We assess your current maturity and recommend the most practical sequence for your business.
Cyber insurers increasingly ask about controls like backup testing, vulnerability scanning, and incident response planning as part of their underwriting process. While not always mandatory, having these controls in place can reduce premiums and improve your chances of coverage approval. Several Perth businesses have engaged Epic IT specifically to meet insurer requirements.
We run regular automated scans across your internal and external infrastructure to identify known vulnerabilities in operating systems, applications, and network devices. Results are prioritised by severity and exploitability. Critical vulnerabilities are remediated immediately through your managed services agreement. Regular scanning reports give your leadership team visibility into your security posture over time.
For managed services clients, many Further Five controls are included in your existing agreement or available as add-ons. Vulnerability scanning, backup validation, and security monitoring are operational activities managed as part of your ongoing service. Network segmentation and incident response planning are typically scoped as projects with fixed pricing. Contact us for a quote tailored to your environment.
Managed Security Services (MSSP)
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ABS Institute is a leading Western Australian training organisation and trusted state government partner, delivering professional development and mentoring programmes across the state.
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Blackburne is one of Perth’s most recognised property groups, with a portfolio spanning residential development, property management, and commercial real estate across Western Australia.
At Epic IT, our specialists focus on long-term solutions for your business.
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