Essential Eight: The Critical Role of Patching Applications

September 2025

Essential Eight - Patching Applications  

This article is the first in Matrium Technologies’ Essential Eight Blog Series, where we unpack each of the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s (ACSC) eight key mitigation strategies. The goal is simple: help business leaders understand what each control means, why it matters, and how to practically implement it.

We begin with Patch Applications - one of the most effective yet often overlooked ways to reduce cyber risk.

What “Patch Applications” Really Means

Patching applications is simply the process of fixing known flaws in software. Vendors regularly release updates to close vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit. If those updates aren’t applied, the weakness remains, waiting to be discovered.

For executives, the message is clear: leaving applications unpatched is like locking your office door at night but leaving the windows wide open.

Why It Matters for Your Business

• Cybercriminals move fast – Exploits for new vulnerabilities often appear within days of disclosure.

• The weakest link exposes the business – A single outdated application on one laptop can provide an entry point into the entire corporate network.

• Compliance and trust are on the line – Regulators and customers expect organisations to follow basic cyber hygiene. Failing to patch undermines both.

Practical Steps to Implement

Building maturity in application patching doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Start small, then scale:

1. Know what you’re running – Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all business applications.

2. Enable automatic updates where possible – For common apps like browsers and productivity suites.

3. Prioritise critical applications – Apply patches quickly to software that connects to the internet or handles sensitive data.

4. Regular vulnerability scans – Detect outdated or unpatched applications early.

5. Set clear policies – Ensure patching is part of IT operations, not an afterthought.

The Maturity Journey

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has developed an Essential Eight Maturity Model to help organisations measure and improve their defences. For application patching, the levels provide a practical roadmap:

• Maturity Level 1 (Basic Protection): Patches or updates are applied within a set timeframe — typically within one month of release — to reduce the risk of exploitation.

• Maturity Level 2 (Improved Protection): Security patches for applications are applied within two weeks, with critical patches prioritised and sometimes applied sooner.

• Maturity Level 3 (Strongest Protection): Security patches for internet-facing services, office productivity suites, PDF software, web browsers and their extensions are applied within 48 hours. Vulnerability scanners are used at least weekly to identify missing updates, and centralised tools enforce compliance.

These examples show how an organisation can progress from basic patching discipline to a highly mature and resilient process.

Final Word

Every organisation, regardless of size, runs on software. And every piece of software will, at some point, contain vulnerabilities. The good news? Unlike sophisticated cyber defences, patching applications is straightforward.

By making it a business priority, you not only reduce your organisation’s attack surface but also demonstrate to customers, regulators, and stakeholders that you take security seriously.

This is just the beginning of our Essential Eight Blog Series. Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore each of the eight strategies in turn, giving executives a clear, practical view of how to build resilience step by step.

Matrium Technologies helps organisations of all sizes achieve and maintain Essential Eight compliance, providing the expertise and solutions needed to strengthen cyber resilience.