If Australian businesses emerge from Cyber Security Awareness Month without hearing the alarm bells, they’re not just asleep at the wheel but heading towards a crash.
The recent release of millions of Australians’ data on the dark web, following coordinated vishing, also known as ‘voice phishing’, attacks on large global businesses, is a powerful example of how interconnected cybersecurity risks truly are. Cyber Security Awareness Month falling in line with these attacks feels less symbolic and more like a stark warning.
While attackers continue to exploit technology, they now also leverage various vulnerabilities and weaknesses across vendor networks to compromise established defences—something that no business—small or large—is immune from.
Yet October does not need to serve as a sole reminder of the risks but must also serve as a catalyst for Australian enterprises to understand how multi-faceted, layered approaches to security are critical to building resilience.
With the right preparation, businesses can shift from vulnerability to vigilance by addressing potential blind spots in their organisations and being ready to handle an attack if it occurs.
Addressing legacy technology is one of the most critical steps in this process, and the Australian government has rightly stressed it as a priority. Many businesses rely on ageing infrastructure, making it more necessary than ever to address these systems that may offer criminals easy entry points to exploit.
As systems age, the cost and complexity of maintaining them rise, while the expertise needed to support them becomes harder to identify. This combination increases vulnerability and limits an organisation’s ability to respond effectively to threats.
To stay ahead, businesses should work with security teams to understand the risks associated with their existing legacy systems; they should update all IT assets with refreshed products and services that have security at the forefront, and should the option for replacement technology not be immediately feasible, companies should apply mitigations such as segmentation and continuous monitoring.
Being proactive about legacy IT is less costly than dealing with the fallout of an attack. By treating it as a core component of a cybersecurity strategy, organisations can reduce risk and strengthen their resilience against emerging threats.
While incredibly important to address, cyber resilience doesn’t stop at internal systems. Despite having modern infrastructure in place, businesses can still face exposure due to another vulnerability: their supply chain.
Cyber resilience can become increasingly complex in this context. In today’s connected digital world, an organisation is only as strong as its weakest link. If supplier products or services are not properly audited for compliance, risks can cascade like dominoes across the business.
Effective cyber supply chain risk management means ensuring that security expectations are clearly set and agreed upon with suppliers from the start. Organisations must evaluate vendors based on technical expertise, scalability, and customer support; implement robust cybersecurity measures and data protection protocols; conduct regular audits and performance reviews with suppliers to identify gaps; and maintain an up-to-date registry of vendors and the critical systems they support.
By proactively addressing supply chain risks, businesses can strengthen resilience against disruptions and safeguard trust with stakeholders. This month is a reminder that preparation extends beyond internal parties; it requires collaboration with every vendor and partner in the network.
If Australian businesses truly pay attention to this year’s Cyber Security Awareness Month, they will understand that it’s not just a time for awareness but also a call to action. The data breaches and sophisticated attacks we’ve seen recently point to the need for every organisation, regardless of size, to elevate its cyber defences.
By learning from this month’s insights, whether it’s addressing legacy technology vulnerabilities, managing supply chain risks, or fostering a culture of vigilance, businesses can reposition themselves from easy targets to resilient and ready to defend. With the right mindset and commitment, we can build a stronger, safer digital culture for Australia.
Kumar Mitra
As Executive Director for CAP (Central Asia Pacific) and ANZ (Australia & New Zealand) of Lenovo Infrastructure Group, Kumar is responsible for building customer confidence and accelerating growth across 9 key markets in CAP, consisting of Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan the Philippines and Australia & New Zealand.
Kumar’s area of expertise includes establishing strategic growth across channel, direct, and hybrid business development. He joins Lenovo ISG with over 26 years of experience in business and technology optimisation. Kumar held previous director-level positions at Nutanix and Dell, where he played a key role in transforming the business with partner growth and customer acquisition.
Kumar believes strongly in developing and maintaining a highly collaborative culture, and his leadership style focuses on the 4As—attention to detail, anti-fragility, absolute integrity, and ambition. He has also obtained several awards, including WW GTM Top Contributor in Nutanix and Inspiring Leader of the Year at Dell, APJ.
Kumar holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics from Doctor Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.
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