Common Challenges Organisations Face Implementing the Essential Eight Strategies

The ASD Essential Eight provides clear guidance on reducing cyber risk, but knowing what to do and actually putting it into practice are two different things. Many organisations encounter real-world obstacles when implementing the eight strategies. Understanding these challenges can help you plan more effectively and strengthen your overall cyber resilience.

Challenge 1: Limited Resources

Implementing all eight strategies requires time, staff, and technical expertise. Smaller teams may struggle to patch systems promptly, maintain backups, or restrict administrative privileges consistently. Even larger organisations can face resourcing constraints if competing priorities take attention away from security tasks.

Many organisations find that tackling the Essential Eight in stages, focusing on the highest-risk areas first, is a practical way to make progress without overwhelming internal teams.

Challenge 2: Legacy Systems and Software

Older systems or unsupported applications often cannot be patched or hardened according to the Essential Eight recommendations. This creates unavoidable gaps in protection and increases the attack surface.

Organisations need to identify critical legacy systems and consider interim controls, such as network segmentation, restricted access, or additional monitoring, while planning upgrades or replacements.

Challenge 3: Inconsistent Implementation

Even when strategies are in place, they may not be applied uniformly across the organisation. For example, patching may occur on core servers but not on remote endpoints, or multi-factor authentication may only cover administrators.

This inconsistency can leave weak points that attackers can exploit. Establishing clear procedures and regular reviews helps ensure that controls are applied consistently and that no business units are overlooked.

Challenge 4: User Awareness and Behaviour

Staff play a crucial role in cybersecurity, but human behaviour is often the weakest link. Users may bypass security controls, fall for phishing emails, or unknowingly introduce risks through unsafe practices.

Combining technical controls with user awareness programs is essential. Training, reminders, and simulated exercises help staff understand the role they play in protecting the organisation and reinforce good habits.

Challenge 5: Keeping Up with Changes

Cyber threats evolve constantly, and organisational environments change as well. New software, mergers, cloud adoption and remote working can create gaps if the Essential Eight strategies are not reviewed and updated regularly.

Regular monitoring, audits, and continuous improvement practices ensure that security controls remain effective over time and adapt to the organisation’s changing risk profile.

Turning Challenges into Progress

Facing these challenges doesn’t mean the Essential Eight is unachievable. It highlights the importance of structured planning, prioritisation, and ongoing oversight. Many organisations make the most progress by tackling the strategies in stages, focusing first on the highest-impact controls, and continuously improving their maturity.

At Kaon Security, we help organisations navigate these challenges by providing expert guidance and practical support. We work alongside your team to identify obstacles, prioritise actions, and implement strategies that strengthen cyber resilience across the organisation.