View all publications

14 Jan 2021

Domain Name System Security for Domain Owners

This publication provides information on Domain Name System (DNS) security for domain owners, as well as mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of misuse of domains and associated resources. Organisations are recommended to implement the mitigation strategies in this publication to improve the security of their DNS infrastructure.

14 Jan 2021

Domain Name System Security for Domain Resolvers

This publication provides information on Domain Name System (DNS) security for recursive resolution servers, as well as mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of DNS resolver subversion or compromise. Organisations should implement the mitigation strategies in this publication to improve the security of their DNS infrastructure.

07 Jan 2021

Identifying Cyber Supply Chain Risks

This guidance has been developed to assist organisations in identifying risks associated with their use of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers (i.e. businesses that constitute their cyber supply chain).

07 Jan 2021

Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management

All organisations should consider cyber supply chain risk management. If a supplier, manufacturer, distributor or retailer (i.e. businesses that constitute a cyber supply chain) are involved in products or services used by an organisation, there will be a cyber supply chain risk originating from those businesses. Likewise, an organisation will transfer any cyber supply chain risk they hold to their customers.

06 Jan 2021

Hardening Linux Workstations and Servers

This document has been developed to assist organisations understand how to harden Linux workstations and servers, including by applying the Essential Eight from the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)’s Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents.

03 Dec 2020

How to Combat Fake Emails

Organisations can reduce the likelihood of their domains being used to support fake emails by implementing Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) records in their Domain Name System (DNS) configuration. Using DMARC with DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) to sign emails provides further safety against fake emails. Likewise, organisations can better protect their users against fake emails by ensuring their email systems use and apply SPF, DKIM and DMARC policies on inbound email.

03 Dec 2020

Implementing Certificates, TLS, HTTPS and Opportunistic TLS

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a widely used encryption protocol which enables parties to communicate securely over the internet. Through the use of certificates and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), parties can identify each other through a trusted intermediary and establish encrypted tunnels for the secure transfer of information.

01 Dec 2020

Creating Strong Passphrases

Multi-factor authentication (a combination of something that you know, something that you have or something that you are) is one of the most effective ways to protect against unauthorised access to valuable information and accounts. However, in cases where multi-factor authentication is not available, a strong passphrase can often be the only barrier between adversaries and your valuable information and accounts. Passphrases are most effective when they are long, complex, unpredictable and unique.

19 Nov 2020

Marketing and Filtering Email Service Providers

This publication provides high level guidance on how to use email service providers (ESPs) in particular deployment scenarios. The considerations and controls described in that publication also apply to ESPs sending email on your behalf.

17 Nov 2020

End of Support for Microsoft Windows 10

Under Microsoft’s current servicing model, support for Microsoft Windows 10 will end between 18 to 30 months after release depending on the version and edition being used. At such a time, organisations will no longer receive patches for security vulnerabilities identified in these products. Subsequently, adversaries may use these unpatched security vulnerabilities to target workstations running unsupported versions of Microsoft Windows 10.

23 Oct 2020

Protecting Against Business Email Compromise

Business email compromise is when criminals use email to abuse trust in business processes to scam organisations out of money or goods. Criminals can impersonate business representatives using similar names, domains and/or fraudulent logos as a legitimate organisation or by using compromised email accounts and pretending to be a trusted co-worker.

19 Oct 2020

Defending Against the Malicious Use of the Tor Network

Blocking traffic from the Tor network will prevent adversaries from using the Tor network to easily conduct anonymous reconnaissance and exploitation of systems and typically has minimal, if any, impact on legitimate users. This publication provides guidance on the prevention and detection of traffic from the Tor network.

15 Oct 2020

Patching During Change Freezes

This document has been developed to assist organisations in assessing and applying patches during change freezes.

02 Oct 2020

Ransomware in Australia

The Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has observed an increase in the number of ransomware incidents affecting Australian organisations and individuals.

14 Sep 2020

Security Tips for Social Media and Social Networking Apps

Social media, and social networking or messaging apps, can pose a number of security and privacy risks to both organisations and individuals when used in an inappropriate or unsafe manner.

10 Sep 2020

ASD Cyber Skills Framework

The ASD Cyber Skills Framework defines the roles, capabilities and skills that are essential to ASD’s cyber missions. The ASD Cyber Skills Framework enables targeted recruitment of cyber specialists, provides a development pathway for current and future cyber staff, and aligns skills, knowledge and attributes with national and international industry standards.

27 Jul 2020

Cloud Security Assessment Report Template

The Cloud Security Assessment Report Template is used to assess a cloud service provider (CSP) and its cloud services, improving the consistency of the Cloud Security Assessment Reports.

27 Jul 2020

Cloud Computing Security for Tenants

This document is designed to assist an organisation’s cyber security team, cloud architects and business representatives to jointly perform a risk assessment and use cloud services securely.

27 Jul 2020

Cloud Computing Security Considerations

Cloud computing offers potential benefits including cost savings and improved business outcomes for organisations. However, there are a variety of information security risks that need to be carefully considered. Risks will vary depending on the sensitivity of the data to be stored or processed, and how the chosen cloud vendor (also referred to as a cloud service provider) has implemented their specific cloud services.

27 Jul 2020

Cloud Security Controls Matrix

The Cloud Security Controls Matrix (CSCM) provides additional context to the Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM) security controls for cloud computing to assist security assessments.

27 Jul 2020

Cloud Assessment and Authorisation – Frequently Asked Questions

This publication provides answers relating to frequently asked questions on the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)’s new cloud security guidance, future support, government self-assessment and cloud security assessment reports.

27 Jul 2020

Anatomy of a Cloud Assessment and Authorisation

The Anatomy of a Cloud Assessment and Authorisation is co-designed with industry to support the secure adoption of cloud services across government and industry.

27 Jul 2020

Cloud Computing Security for Cloud Service Providers

This document is designed to assist assessors validating the security posture of a cloud service in order to provide organisations with independent assurance of security claims made by Cloud Service Providers (CSPs). This document can also assist CSPs to offer secure cloud services.

10 Jul 2020

Security Tips for Personal Devices

There are a lot of things to think about when it comes to the use of personal devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, computers and laptops). For example, compromises of personal devices and the information they store can have significant productivity, financial and emotional impacts. This document has been written to provide security tips to secure personal devices and protect your information.

26 Jun 2020

Implementing Application Control

Application control is one of the most effective mitigation strategies in ensuring the security of systems. As such, application control forms part of the Essential Eight from the Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents. This document provides guidance on what application control is, what application control is not, and how to implement application control.

26 Jun 2020

Questions to ask Managed Service Providers

This document provides simple yet practical questions to ask managed service providers regarding the cyber security of their systems and the services they provide.

26 Jun 2020

Hardening Microsoft Windows 8.1 Workstations

Workstations are often targeted by an adversary using malicious websites, emails or removable media in an attempt to extract sensitive information. Hardening workstations is an important part of reducing this risk. This document provides recommendations on hardening workstations using Enterprise editions of Microsoft Windows 8.1. Before implementing recommendations in this document, thorough testing should be undertaken to ensure the potential for unintended negative impacts on business processes is reduced as much as possible.

26 Jun 2020

Preparing for and Responding to Denial-of-Service Attacks

Although organisations cannot avoid being targeted by denial-of-service attacks, there are a number of measures that organisations can implement to prepare for and potentially reduce the impact if targeted. Preparing for denial-of-service attacks before they occur is by far the best strategy, it is very difficult to respond once they begin and efforts at this stage are unlikely to be effective.

26 Jun 2020

Detecting Socially Engineered Messages

Socially engineered messages present a significant threat to individuals and organisations due to their ability to assist an adversary with compromising accounts, devices, systems or sensitive information. This document offers guidance on identifying socially engineered messages delivered by email, SMS, instant messaging or other direct messaging services offered by social media applications.

26 Jun 2020

Essential Eight to ISM Mapping

This document provides a mapping between Maturity Level 3 of the Essential Eight Maturity Model and the security controls within the Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM). This mapping represents the minimum security controls organisations must implement to meet the intent of the Essential Eight.

26 Jun 2020

Protecting Web Applications and Users

This document provides advice for web developers and security professionals on how they can protect their existing web applications by implementing low cost and effective security controls which do not require changes to a web application’s code. These security controls when applied to new web applications in development, whether in the application’s code or server configuration, form part of the defence-in-depth strategy.

26 Jun 2020

An Examination of the Redaction Functionality of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2017

This document provides guidance on the efficacy of redaction facilities within Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2017 and is intended for information technology and information security professionals within organisations looking to redact sensitive or personal information from PDF documents before releasing them into the public domain or to other third parties.

26 Jun 2020

Microsoft Office Macro Security

Microsoft Office applications can execute macros to automate routine tasks. However, macros can contain malicious code resulting in unauthorised access to sensitive information as part of a targeted cyber intrusion. This document has been developed to discuss approaches that can be applied by organisations to secure systems against malicious macros while balancing both their business and security requirements.

26 Jun 2020

Secure Administration

Privileged access allows administrators to perform their duties such as establishing and making changes to key servers, networking devices, user workstations and user accounts. Privileged access or credentials are often seen as the ‘keys to the kingdom’ as they allow the bearers to have access and control over many different assets within a network. This publication provides guidance on how to implement secure administration techniques.

26 Jun 2020

Securing Content Management Systems

Security vulnerabilities within content management systems (CMS) installed on web servers of organisations are often exploited by adversaries. Once a CMS has been compromised, the web server can be used as infrastructure to facilitate targeted intrusion attempts.

26 Jun 2020

Mitigating the Use of Stolen Credentials

This document explains the risks posed by the use of stolen credentials and how they can be mitigated.

26 Jun 2020

End of Support for Microsoft Windows 7

On 14 January 2020, Microsoft ended support for Microsoft Windows 7. As such, organisations no longer receive patches for security vulnerabilities identified in this product. Subsequently, adversaries may use these unpatched security vulnerabilities to target Microsoft Windows 7 workstations.

26 Jun 2020

Industrial Control Systems Remote Access Protocol

External parties may need to connect remotely to critical infrastructure control networks. This is to allow manufacturers of equipment the ability to maintain the equipment when a fault is experienced that cannot be fixed in the required timeframe. Such access to external parties will only occur in extraordinary circumstances, and will only be given at critical times where access is required to maintain the quality of everyday life in Australia.

26 Jun 2020

Security Configuration Guide - Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Devices

This publication provides guidance on hardening the security configuration of Samsung S9 and S9+ devices.

26 Jun 2020

Implementing Network Segmentation and Segregation

This document intends to assist staff responsible for an organisation’s network architecture and design to increase the security posture of their networks by applying network segmentation and segregation strategies.

26 Jun 2020

Introduction to Cross Domain Solutions

This document introduces technical and non-technical audiences to the concept of a Cross Domain Solution (CDS), a type of security capability that is used to connect discrete systems within separate security domains in an assured manner.

26 Jun 2020

Securing PowerShell in the Enterprise

This document describes a maturity framework for PowerShell in a way that balances the security and business requirements of organisations. This maturity framework will enable organisations to take incremental steps towards securing PowerShell across their environment.

26 Jun 2020

Using Remote Desktop Clients

Remote access solutions are increasingly being used to access organisations’ systems. One common method of enabling remote access is to use a remote desktop client. This document provides guidance on security risks associated with the use of remote desktop clients.

26 Jun 2020

Mergers, Acquisitions and Machinery of Government Changes

This publication provides guidance on strategies that organisations can apply during mergers, acquisitions and Machinery of Government changes.

26 Jun 2020

Assessing Security Vulnerabilities and Applying Patches

Applying patches to operating systems, applications and devices is critical to ensuring the security of systems. As such, patching forms part of the Essential Eight from the Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents.

26 Jun 2020

End of Support for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

On 14 January 2020, Microsoft ended support for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. As such, organisations no longer receive patches for security vulnerabilities identified in these products. Subsequently, adversaries may use these unpatched security vulnerabilities to target Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 servers.

26 Jun 2020

How to Manage Your Security When Engaging a Managed Service Provider

The compromise of several Managed Service Providers’ (MSPs) was reported in 2017. In response, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) provided organisations with the information they needed to protect themselves and others from this threat.

26 Jun 2020

Security Configuration Guide - Apple iOS 12 Devices

This publication provides guidance on hardening the security configuration of iOS 12 devices.

26 Jun 2020

Mitigating Java-based Intrusions

Java applications are widely deployed by organisations. As such, exploiting security vulnerabilities in the Java platform is particularly attractive to adversaries seeking unauthorised access to organisations’ networks.

26 Jun 2020

What Executives Should Know About Cyber Security

This publication discusses high-level topics that executives should know about cyber security within their organisations.