Cross-Framework Mapping

CIS Controls v8vsACSC Essential Eight

See exactly how CIS Controls v8 controls map to ACSC Essential Eight. Pre-computed mappings, identified gaps, and coverage analysis.

51
Controls Mapped
102
Gaps Found
29%
Coverage

A reviewed coverage crosswalk for this pair is available. See which CIS Controls v8 controls you already evidence.

According to the TheArtOfService Compliance Knowledge Graph:

CIS Controls v8 maps to ACSC Essential Eight with 29% coverage across 44 directly mapped controls. Analysis of 153 CIS Controls v8 controls identifies 109 compliance gaps, primarily concentrated in CIS Control 16: Application Software Security.

Source: TheArtOfService Knowledge Graph | 153 controls analysed | 686 frameworks | 309K+ cross-framework mappings

Control Mappings

Showing 20 of 51 mapped controls across 14 domains. Sign up to explore all 309K+ mappings across 686 frameworks.

CIS Control 1: Inventory and Control of Enterprise Assets(2 mappings)

CIS-1.3Utilize an Active Discovery Tool2 targets
E8-PATCHAPP-ML1Patch Applications (ML1)
E8-PATCHOS-ML2Patch Operating Systems (ML2)

CIS Control 10: Malware Defenses(3 mappings)

CIS-10.1Deploy and Maintain Anti-Malware Software
E8-MACRO-ML1Configure Microsoft Office Macro Settings (ML1)
CIS-10.5Enable Anti-Exploitation Features2 targets
E8-MACRO-ML2Configure Microsoft Office Macro Settings (ML2)
E8-UAH-ML2User Application Hardening - Maturity Level 2

CIS Control 11: Data Recovery(5 mappings)

CIS-11.1Establish and Maintain a Data Recovery Process
E8-BACKUP-ML1Regular Backups (ML1)
CIS-11.2Perform Automated Backups
E8-BACKUP-ML1Regular Backups (ML1)
CIS-11.3Protect Recovery Data
E8-BACKUP-ML2Regular Backups (ML2)
CIS-11.4Establish and Maintain an Isolated Instance of Recovery Data
E8-BACKUP-ML3Regular Backups (ML3)
CIS-11.5Test Data Recovery
E8-BACKUP-ML1Regular Backups (ML1)

CIS Control 12: Network Infrastructure Management(2 mappings)

CIS-12.1Ensure Network Infrastructure is Up-to-Date
E8-PATCHOS-ML3Patch Operating Systems (ML3)
CIS-12.8Establish and Maintain Dedicated Computing Resources for All Administrative Work
E8-ADMIN-ML3Restrict Administrative Privileges (ML3)

CIS Control 13: Network Monitoring and Defense(1 mappings)

CIS-13.1Centralize Security Event Alerting
E8-APP-ML2Application Control (ML2)

CIS Control 17: Incident Response Management(1 mappings)

CIS-17.4Establish and Maintain an Incident Response Process
E8-ADMIN-ML2Restrict Administrative Privileges (ML2)

CIS Control 2: Inventory and Control of Software Assets(6 mappings)

CIS-2.2Ensure Authorized Software is Currently Supported
E8-PATCHAPP-ML3Patch Applications (ML3)
CIS-2.3Address Unauthorized Software
E8-APP-ML2Application Control (ML2)
CIS-2.5Allowlist Authorized Software
E8-APP-ML1Application Control (ML1)
CIS-2.6Allowlist Authorized Libraries
E8-APP-ML1Application Control (ML1)
CIS-2.7Allowlist Authorized Scripts2 targets
E8-APP-ML1Application Control (ML1)
E8-MACRO-ML3Configure Microsoft Office Macro Settings (ML3)

+31 more mappings

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Coverage crosswalk

The CIS Controls v8 to ACSC Essential Eight crosswalk

The table above lists candidate mappings. A crosswalk answers the narrower question you are probably here for: which ACSC Essential Eight controls your existing CIS Controls v8 work already satisfies, which are real gaps, and the reasoning behind every claim so you can check it. One pair, $299, one time.

CIS Controls v8 into ACSC Essential Eight
Not published yet

This direction has not been through crosswalk review and sign off, so no coverage figure is published for it. Reporting an unreviewed number would be worse than reporting none. It can be built to order at the same price as a pair that is already on the shelf.

If the two frameworks turn out to have too little in common for a crosswalk to help you, we say so and refund it rather than send a number worth nothing.

ACSC Essential Eight into CIS Controls v8
19%

29 of 153 CIS Controls v8 controls are evidenced by work you have already done for ACSC Essential Eight. 124 are genuine gaps.

85.7%CIS Control 7: Continuous Vulnerability Management
71.4%CIS Control 2: Inventory and Control of Software Assets
60%CIS Control 11: Data Recovery
50%CIS Control 5: Account Management
Machine verified. Claude Code on the Max plan, judged in context, signed off 2026-08-19. 51 candidate mappings were examined and 0 were removed by a pass whose job was to argue against them.Mappings were judged by Claude Code rather than read line by line by a practitioner. Every claim shows its reasoning so you can check it. Ask and a practitioner will review this pair.

A sample of what the report says

Evidenced: CIS-10.5 Enable Anti-Exploitation Features

ASD hardening guidance for browsers and Office mandates the anti exploitation settings CIS lists.

Grounded in E8-UAH-ML2 User Application Hardening - Maturity Level 2. Confidence high, survived the refutation pass.

Gap: CIS-1.1 Establish and Maintain Detailed Enterprise Asset Inventory

Establish and maintain an accurate, detailed, and up-to-date inventory of all enterprise assets with the potential to store or process data, to include: end-user devices (including portable and mobile), network devices, non-computing/IoT...

Every one of the 29 evidenced controls and 124 gaps in the report carries this much reasoning, so you can check the claim rather than take it on trust.

ACSC Essential Eight to CIS Controls v8
$299
per framework pair, one time
  • Every evidenced control, with the reasoning behind it
  • Every gap, with what it requires
  • Its level of review stated plainly, not a bare number

Why this page shows two different percentages. The 29% in the header counts how many CIS Controls v8 controls carry at least one candidate mapping in the graph, before any review. The crosswalk percentage counts something stricter: how many ACSC Essential Eight controls are actually evidenced, after a pass that argued against each mapping and kept only what survived. They answer different questions and they are not meant to agree.

A crosswalk narrows the work. It does not replace an audit, and your assessor may take a different view on individual controls. Mappings between frameworks are judgements, not text printed in either standard, which is why every claim in the report shows its reasoning. Questions go to support@theartofservice.com.

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What are the key differences between CIS Controls v8 and ACSC Essential Eight?

CIS Controls v8 has 153 controls across its framework, while ACSC Essential Eight covers 24 controls. Direct mapping analysis identifies 44 overlapping controls (29% coverage). The frameworks diverge most significantly in CIS Control 16: Application Software Security, where 14 CIS Controls v8 controls have no direct ACSC Essential Eight equivalent.

How many controls map between CIS Controls v8 and ACSC Essential Eight?

Of 153 total CIS Controls v8 controls, 44 map directly to ACSC Essential Eight controls, representing 29% coverage. The remaining 109 controls represent compliance gaps requiring additional documentation or compensating controls to satisfy both frameworks simultaneously.

What are the compliance gaps when mapping CIS Controls v8 to ACSC Essential Eight?

109 CIS Controls v8 controls have no direct equivalent in ACSC Essential Eight. The highest concentration of gaps is in CIS Control 16: Application Software Security with 14 unmapped controls. These gaps represent areas where additional controls, policies, or documentation must be created to achieve compliance with both frameworks.

Which control domains have the most gaps between CIS Controls v8 and ACSC Essential Eight?

The domain with the highest gap count is CIS Control 16: Application Software Security (14 gaps). Export the full domain-by-domain gap breakdown via the Professional tier to generate a prioritised remediation roadmap.

This platform provides educational compliance tools, not legal, regulatory, or professional compliance advice. Cross-framework mappings are AI-assisted interpretations and do not reproduce or replace official standards. Framework names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Consult qualified professionals for your specific compliance requirements. See our Terms of Service.