Microsoft Security Consulting Australia

Microsoft Security: Entra ID, Defender, and Essential Eight Alignment

Most organisations have Microsoft security tools in their licence but have not configured them properly. Entra ID conditional access policies are too broad or too narrow. Defender for Endpoint is deployed but alerts go unreviewed. Multi factor authentication covers some users but not all. The Essential Eight maturity model tells you what to do but not how to do it in a Microsoft environment.

Evocate configures your Microsoft security stack to work together as a coherent defence rather than a collection of individually deployed tools. We align configuration to the ASD Essential Eight maturity model because it provides a practical, prioritised framework that Australian organisations can measure themselves against.

Our approach starts with assessment: what is configured today, what gaps exist, and what is the priority order for remediation. We then implement changes in controlled phases with testing and validation at each step. The result is a security posture that satisfies compliance requirements, reduces actual risk, and does not break user productivity. Call 1300 386 228 to discuss your security posture.

Microsoft Entra ID and Identity Security

Identity is the primary attack surface for modern organisations. Evocate configures Entra ID with conditional access, multi factor authentication, privileged identity management, and access reviews that prevent credential based attacks while maintaining user productivity.

Microsoft Defender Suite

Evocate deploys and configures the Microsoft Defender suite across endpoints, email, identity, and cloud applications. Individual Defender products provide value alone but deliver significantly better protection when configured to share signals across the extended detection and response (XDR) platform.

Essential Eight Alignment

The ASD Essential Eight provides a prioritised mitigation framework that Australian organisations can measure maturity against. Evocate maps your Microsoft environment to Essential Eight controls and implements configurations that progress your maturity level using the tools you already own.

Security Operations and Monitoring

Evocate configures Microsoft Sentinel and the Microsoft Defender portal for security operations including alert triage, incident investigation, and automated response playbooks that reduce mean time to detect and respond.

Identity as the perimeter

With cloud services and remote work, identity has replaced the network as the primary security boundary. Entra ID conditional access enforces zero trust for every access request.

Extended detection and response

Microsoft Defender XDR correlates signals across endpoints, email, identity, and cloud apps to detect sophisticated attacks that individual products miss.

Essential Eight alignment

Microsoft tools address all eight Essential Eight mitigation strategies. Evocate maps configurations to maturity levels so you can measure and demonstrate progress.

Australian data residency

Microsoft security services process and store Australian customer data within Australian data centre regions for sovereignty compliance.

Security Posture Assessment

Evocate assesses your current Microsoft security configuration against the Essential Eight maturity model and Microsoft security best practices to identify gaps, misconfigurations, and priority remediation actions.

Microsoft Secure Score review and gap analysis
Essential Eight maturity assessment per control
Entra ID configuration and conditional access review
Defender deployment coverage and effectiveness audit
Privilege access and admin account audit

Identity and Access Configuration

Evocate configures Entra ID conditional access, multi factor authentication, privileged identity management, and access governance to protect your identity perimeter against credential attacks.

Conditional access policy design and deployment
Phishing resistant MFA rollout
Privileged Identity Management configuration
Access review campaigns and lifecycle management
Break glass account procedures and testing

Endpoint and Email Protection

Evocate deploys and configures Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Office 365 with attack surface reduction, automated investigation, and email filtering tuned to your environment.

Defender for Endpoint deployment and onboarding
Attack surface reduction rule configuration
Defender for Office 365 anti phishing policies
Safe Attachments and Safe Links configuration
Automated investigation and response tuning

Essential Eight Implementation

Evocate implements Microsoft configurations that address each Essential Eight mitigation strategy at your target maturity level using Intune, Defender, Entra ID, and Windows security features.

Application control policy design and deployment
Patch management configuration for applications and OS
Microsoft 365 macro controls and hardening
User application hardening through Intune policies
Regular backup verification aligned with E8 requirements

Security Operations Setup

Evocate configures Microsoft Sentinel and the Defender portal for effective security operations including detection rules, hunting queries, incident workflows, and automated response playbooks.

Microsoft Sentinel workspace design and data connector configuration
Analytics rule tuning to reduce false positives
Hunting query library for common threat scenarios
Logic Apps playbooks for automated containment
Executive reporting dashboards and compliance views

Reduce credential attack risk

Properly configured conditional access and phishing resistant MFA block the majority of identity based attacks before they succeed.

Demonstrate Essential Eight progress

Clear maturity level mapping against ASD Essential Eight gives leadership and auditors evidence of security posture improvement.

Detect threats faster

Integrated XDR correlates signals across endpoints, email, identity, and cloud apps to surface sophisticated attacks that individual tools miss.

Use what you already own

Most Microsoft security features are included in E3 and E5 licences you already pay for but have not fully configured.

Australian compliance alignment

Configurations aligned to Essential Eight, ISM, and Privacy Act requirements with documentation suitable for auditors.

Government

Microsoft security for government agencies achieving Essential Eight maturity targets with ISM alignment and PROTECTED data protection.

Utilities & Energy

Microsoft security for utilities and energy organisations protecting critical infrastructure with AESCSF alignment and operational technology awareness.

Defence

Microsoft security for defence organisations implementing DISP requirements, ISM controls, and classified environment security boundaries.

Transport & Logistics

Microsoft security for transport and logistics companies protecting operational systems, supply chain data, and dispersed workforce access.

Healthcare & Aged Care

Microsoft security for healthcare organisations protecting patient data, clinical systems, and meeting privacy legislation requirements.

NDIS & Community Services

Microsoft security for NDIS and community service providers protecting participant data with NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission compliance.

Mining & Resources

Microsoft security for mining and resources companies protecting operational technology, remote site access, and intellectual property.

Professional Services

Microsoft security for professional services firms protecting client confidentiality, legal privilege, and regulatory compliance obligations.

Engage

Understand your current security configuration, compliance obligations, risk appetite, and target Essential Eight maturity level.

Validate

Assess Entra ID, Defender, and security configurations against Essential Eight controls and Microsoft best practices to identify gaps.

Optimise

Prioritise remediation actions, design policy configurations, and plan implementation phases that improve security without disrupting operations.

Launch

Implement security configurations in controlled phases with testing, user communication, and rollback procedures at each stage.

Verify

Validate controls through security testing, Secure Score improvement measurement, and Essential Eight maturity reassessment.

Evolve

Ongoing security posture management including quarterly assessments, new threat response, and configuration updates as Microsoft releases capabilities.

Microsoft Entra ID

Identity protection, conditional access, privileged identity management, and access governance controlling who accesses what under which conditions.

Microsoft Defender XDR

Extended detection and response across endpoints, email, identity, and cloud applications with automated investigation and response.

Microsoft Sentinel

Cloud SIEM for security event correlation, threat hunting, automated playbooks, and compliance reporting across all data sources.

Microsoft Intune

Device management and compliance policies that enforce endpoint security controls including application control and patch management.

Microsoft Purview

Information protection and data loss prevention that governs sensitive data access and prevents exfiltration through security controls.

Azure

Cloud security posture management for Azure workloads including Defender for Cloud, network security, and resource protection.

Delivery that fits your business

Microsoft Partner

Practical guidance across Microsoft 365, Azure, SharePoint, Teams, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, security, and governance.

Certified Consultants

Senior specialists who can move from strategy into delivery, adoption, migration, support, and continuous improvement.

Australian Business

Local consulting for Australian organisations, backed by national experience and a delivery record across the country.

Why Evocate

Experience

Delivering Microsoft consulting outcomes since 2009.

Clients

Trusted by 186 clients across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Delivery

622 completed projects and 1,068 total engagements.

See all our clients

Tell us what you are working on and we will map the right next step, whether that is consulting, licensing, managed services, or all three.

Contact Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Evocate provides security posture assessment, Entra ID configuration, Microsoft Defender deployment, Essential Eight alignment, Microsoft Sentinel setup, and ongoing security managed services for Australian organisations.

The Essential Eight is the Australian Signals Directorate’s prioritised list of mitigation strategies for cyber security incidents. Microsoft tools address all eight controls. Evocate maps your Microsoft configuration to Essential Eight maturity levels and implements the settings needed to progress.

Costs depend on scope and current maturity. A security posture assessment typically takes 2-3 weeks. Implementation of priority remediations varies based on environment size and complexity. Evocate provides fixed price proposals after initial assessment.

Progressing one maturity level across all eight controls typically takes 3-6 months for a mid sized organisation. Priority controls can be addressed in weeks. Evocate provides a sequenced roadmap during the assessment phase.

Yes. Evocate provides ongoing security posture management including quarterly assessments, configuration updates, new threat response, and Essential Eight progress reporting.

Evocate is a Microsoft Solutions Partner with deep experience in Australian government, defence, and regulated industries. We understand Essential Eight requirements, ISM controls, and the specific compliance obligations of Australian organisations.

Microsoft Security

Microsoft Security: Entra ID, Defender, and Essential Eight Alignment