Australian Organisations Face Steep Costs Without Regular Testing
It only takes one convincing email for operations to slow, customers to be kept waiting, and a leadership team to ask what else could be at risk. For many Australian organisations, the first sign of trouble starts in the inbox and spreads across cloud services.
IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report found that AI generated phishing is now the most common AI related attack, responsible for 37% of breaches where attackers used AI. This shift changes the risk calculus and makes regular testing and configuration reviews essential, not optional.
The Australian cyber security landscape continues to present significant challenges for businesses. Proactively addressing these risks requires both awareness and expertise. Many Australian organisations partner with cyber security specialists like ZIRILIO to assess vulnerabilities, strengthen security frameworks, and implement defences that protect assets and ensure business continuity.
Protecting Your Business from Cyber Security Threats
Cyber threats are constantly evolving, especially for businesses using cloud solutions like Microsoft 365. Recognising and addressing these risks is key to safeguarding your organisation. Here are some of the most pressing cyber security threats businesses should be aware of:
Supply Chain Risks
Attackers target suppliers to access your data. Regular assessments help manage this risk in your vendor relationships.
Cloud Security Risks
Cloud platforms face brute force attacks and credential abuse. Use MFA that is resistant to phishing to protect your Microsoft 365 environment and data.
Advanced Persistent Threats
Attackers use methods that blend with normal operations. Logging and monitoring help detect these hidden system threats.
AI and Social Engineering
Criminals use AI for convincing deepfakes and targeted lures. Netskope Threat Labs reports that 121 out of every 10,000 Australian employees clicked on phishing links each month over the past year, a 140% increase on the previous period. With 63% of Australian organisations adopting generative AI and 87% of companies having employees who access AI applications each month, the opportunity for misuse is growing. Ongoing employee education and realistic simulations are vital against tactics that exploit human trust.
Essential Cyber Security Measures
To strengthen defences, businesses should prioritise several essential cyber security measures:
- Implement MFA that is resistant to phishing, such as hardware keys.
- Use products with integrated security.
- Ensure regular software updates, especially for Microsoft 365.
- Develop and rehearse cyber incident response plans.
Microsoft 365 Configuration Review
Microsoft 365 is widely used, but its broad feature set can sometimes result in misconfigured settings that put organisations at risk. A Microsoft 365 configuration review helps businesses assess and update their environment so it meets current security expectations and operational needs.
This assessment looks at how Microsoft 365 has been set up across areas such as identity management, access control, email security, mail flow, threat protection and endpoint security. It evaluates whether policies and practices are in place, working as intended, and aligned with current security standards.
The goal is not to start from scratch, but to help organisations get the most from Microsoft 365 by identifying gaps, improving visibility, and keeping existing settings up to date.
Why Regular Penetration Testing Matters
Cyber threats change constantly, and even well secured systems can develop hidden vulnerabilities over time. Regular penetration testing is essential for maintaining strong security, helping organisations stay ahead of attackers. By uncovering weaknesses before they are exploited, penetration testing supports risk management, ensures compliance with industry regulations, and validates the effectiveness of existing security measures.
The financial stakes are significant. For Australian organisations, the average cost of a data breach is A$4.26 million. For small businesses, a single cybercrime incident costs an average of A$49,600. Regular testing, paired with strong configuration management, directly reduces the likelihood and impact of these events.
Types of Penetration Testing
Penetration testing includes a range of specialised assessments tailored to different aspects of an organisation’s digital and physical environment:
- Web Application Testing: Assessing web application vulnerabilities.
- Mobile Application Security Testing: Evaluating mobile platform security.
- Network Infrastructure Testing: Checking network component resilience.
- Wireless Network Security Testing: Securing wireless infrastructure.
- Social Engineering Testing: Gauging employee resilience to manipulation.
- Physical Security Audits: Testing protection of IT infrastructure.
Recommended Penetration Testing Schedule
Establishing a schedule for penetration testing is vital for maintaining security:
- Test web applications during development, before launch, and annually.
- Conduct quarterly tests for critical systems.
- Test after significant system changes or major updates.
- Respond promptly to disclosed critical vulnerabilities.
- Run annual social engineering assessments.
- Align testing frequency with compliance needs, such as ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, and CREST, etc.
Take Action to Secure Your Business
Taking proactive steps through regular penetration testing and strong configuration management reduces the risk of successful cyber attacks. With escalating threats targeting essential platforms and the increasing use of AI by criminals, it is critical for every organisation to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
By embracing these protective measures, your business can:
- Substantially enhance its overall cyber security posture.
- Improve the effectiveness of its incident response capabilities.
- Safeguard vital data against the tide of evolving threats.
Protecting digital assets is an ongoing commitment. Partnering with specialists like ZIRILIO provides the expertise needed to maintain strong, adaptive defences. This focus on continuous improvement is the cornerstone of modern cyber resilience.
Article provided by Zirilio
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