(Read time: 2 minutes)
For many small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs), cyber security still feels like a big, tech-heavy problem. But the truth is: the most effective protections are simple, everyday steps—and the latest data shows they matter more than ever.
🔍 What the Numbers Tell Us
According to the ASD Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024–25:
- Small businesses reported an average loss of $56,600 per cybercrime incident — a 14% increase from the previous year.
- Medium businesses lost an average of $97,200 per incident (up 55%).
- Large businesses averaged losses of $202,700 (up 219%).
- Across Australia, there were more than 84,700 cybercrime reports in 2024–25 — roughly one every six minutes.
- The top types of cybercrime affecting businesses were email compromise (19%), business email fraud (15%), and identity fraud (11%).
✅ What This Means for You
You’re a target: Cybercriminals know small businesses often have weaker defences.
The cost is rising: Financial losses and recovery costs are increasing every year.
Simple actions work: Many incidents could have been prevented with basic cyber hygiene.
🛠 5 Practical Action Points for Cyber Resilience
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all accounts — especially for email and administration systems.
Use strong, unique passwords or passphrases and update them regularly.
Schedule regular backups, both onsite and offsite, and test that they can be restored.
Train your team — most incidents begin with phishing or human error.
Keep software and devices up to date — outdated systems are a common entry point.
📣 Free Resources to Get You Started
We’ve developed guides, checklists, and templates to make these steps easy to put into practice. Designed specifically for Australian SMEs, they’re practical, flexible, and written in plain English — no tech jargon required.
“At Cyber Ready Resources, we’re here to make cyber security easier, without the extra stress.”
Browse, download, and use them anytime. Start today — because the statistics show that waiting can cost you.
