Independent cybersecurity and infrastructure consulting for small businesses. Honest advice. Local knowledge. Fixed pricing. No lock-in contracts.
Essential 8 Assessment — Sample Report
What we do
Every engagement is scoped clearly, priced transparently, and documented properly. No surprises.
A structured on-site assessment against the ASD Essential 8. We deliver an executive summary, maturity scorecard (ML0–ML3), and a prioritised remediation roadmap — within 48 hours of the site visit.
Design, installation, and ongoing support for business networks, servers, and hardware. From single-site setups to multi-location environments — delivered to a documented standard.
Closing the gaps identified in your audit. MFA rollout, system hardening, administrative controls, backup implementation — all delivered, tested, and documented.
Ongoing monitoring, patch management, helpdesk support, and quarterly security reviews. Your technology running properly, your security posture maintained — without the overhead of an internal hire.
How it works
Every engagement starts with understanding where you are. Everything that follows is built on that foundation.
On-site Essential 8 assessment. We examine your environment, interview key staff, and test controls across all eight domains. Typically half a day on-site.
A clear written report within 48 hours. Executive summary, maturity scorecard, and a prioritised roadmap. Followed by a 45-minute debrief to talk through findings and answer questions.
Systematic implementation of the recommended controls — from quick wins like MFA rollout, through to more involved projects. Fixed-price quotes only. No surprises.
Optional managed services to maintain your improved security posture. Monitoring, patching, helpdesk, and a quarterly check-in to keep things current as the threat landscape evolves.
Our methodology
Every audit we conduct uses the ASD Essential 8 — the government-backed cybersecurity baseline used across Australian government and increasingly expected by insurers and larger clients.
Each control is scored from ML0 (not implemented) to ML3 (fully implemented and verified). We assess your current position against each one and give you a realistic target — usually ML2 for most small businesses.
Why Blue Gum IT
No vendor relationships. No commission structures. No upselling you technology you don't need.
No vendor relationships, no commissions, no affiliate arrangements. Every recommendation is based purely on what suits your situation — not what earns us a referral fee.
Every piece of work is quoted upfront. You know the cost before we start. No billable-hours anxiety, no scope-creep invoices. If we find more than expected, we tell you before we proceed.
We're based in Albury–Wodonga and work across the region. On-site when you need us, remote when that works better. No outsourcing your support to a distant call centre.
Every audit produces a report that a business owner with no IT background can read and act on. Technical findings translated into business risk and practical next steps.
You deal with Luke directly — not a help desk ticketing system. The person who assessed your environment is the same person implementing the fixes and answering your questions.
We don't sell you enterprise tooling for a 10-person business. Every recommendation is proportionate to your actual risk, budget, and operational reality.
No commitment. No sales pitch. Just an honest discussion about where your business stands and what would actually help.
About
Blue Gum IT is an independent cybersecurity and infrastructure consultancy based in Albury–Wodonga. We work with small businesses across the region who need expert IT guidance without the overhead of a full-time internal hire.
Our work is structured around the Australian Signals Directorate's Essential 8 framework — the same methodology used by government agencies — applied practically to the reality of small business operations, budgets, and risk profiles.
Everything is fixed-fee, fully documented, and delivered without jargon. We're not here to sell you technology. We're here to make sure the technology you have is configured correctly and your business is appropriately protected.
ASD Essential 8 methodology on every audit
Report delivery after on-site assessment
Vendor commissions — ever
Typical target maturity for most small businesses
Get in touch
Whether you want to book an audit, ask a question, or just get a sense of where your business stands — we're happy to have a conversation.
Phone
[0400 000 000]
Location
Albury–Wodonga & surrounding region
Response time
Within one business day