Not spending money is great; you get to save it, or use it somewhere that is needed. If you’re a business owner, you already know that risk is part of the job. When it comes to cybersecurity, the biggest threat might not be those that are trying to exploit you—it’s the assumption that “we’re probably fine.”
In 2025, an estimated 43% of businesses worldwide will experience a cybersecurity breach, attack, or compromised account totaling US$10.5 trillion dollars in losses or interruptions. To put this into real terms, if you take a look at the business next door to you, one of you will likely be compromised this year. That’s roughly 1.4 million in Australia, 600,000 in the UK, and 14.9 million in the US, combined, most of which are small businesses just trying to make a living. And yet, many still treat cybersecurity as a “set-it-and-forget-it” project or a box to tick for an auditor, compliance officer, or regulatory body. The reality? Routine, iterative action is required to remain safe.
The Illusion of Safety
In our recent article outlining the most common types of cybersecurity breaches and how to prevent them (How to prevent the most common cybersecurity breaches), we wanted to show the potential “chinks in the armour” that exist for modern businesses. You don’t necessarily need to read that article, because the key takeaway is this: the cost of doing nothing to your cybersecurity year on year is bad. Every unpatched vulnerability, every excuse to focus on something else, is a door left ajar.
Here are the facts:
Financial Fallout
- The average cost of disruptive breaches for small to medium Australian businesses last year was $4.26 million per breach – just the direct cost (i.e. the downtime caused by the disruption).
- Legal fees, regulatory fines, reputational damage, and stolen data often multiply that figure.
- Unfortunately, an estimated 95% of successful breaches are caused by human error.
Regulatory Exposure
- Businesses with technical certifications are 92% less likely to make a cyber-related insurance claim.
- These often include cyber insurance to support you in a time of need.
- With refined, more stringent regulations from the AFCA expected in 2026, proactive compliance may no longer be optional; it’s strategic.
Reputation and Trust
- 79% of Australian SMBs that achieved Cyber Essentials or Essential Eight alignment reported improved client confidence and stronger supplier relationship
- Reputation loss is the #1 concern for Australian SMBs post-breach, often outweighing financial penalties or downtime.
Opportunity Cost
- Improved cybersecurity can save 22% of your time and effort on due diligence annually..
What you can do today
- Clients want proof: A strong cybersecurity report that shows your current cybersecurity posture helps build trust from the get go.
- Partners expect diligence: Publicly demonstrating active cyber risk management, through certifications, audits, or benchmarks, can be the difference between winning or losing a deal.
- Regulators are always watching: With evolving standards, and regulation peeling into more industries than ever, this is simply expected.
- Competitors are investing: Cybersecurity is no longer an optional add-on, it is a mandatory piece of work to secure your tomorrow business.
Cybersecurity isn’t a project—it’s a posture.
… the cost of doing nothing? It’s a risk no business can afford.