Australian Organisations Face A Concerning Cybersecurity Leadership Gap
OutsourcedCISO warns that the time to find cyber talent is before a breach!
Sydney, Australia, 25 November 2025 – Many Australian organisations are unknowingly operating with a critical cybersecurity blind spot in their team. According to Australian cybersecurity consultancy OutsourcedCISO, growing companies often underestimate the need for cybersecurity leadership until a breach forces them to act, after the damage is already done.
The Growing Cybersecurity Leadership Gap in Australia
“Time and again, we see Australian organisations unlocking cybersecurity budget only after a major incident,” says Maxime Cousseau, founder and chief information security officer at OutsourcedCISO. “By then, customer trust is lost, systems are down, and recovery costs far exceed what proactive investment would have been before an incident.”
A Shortage of CISOs Is Raising the Risk
The cybersecurity leadership gap in Australia is attributed to a widespread shortage of skilled chief information security officers (CISOs) and other security professionals, as well as insufficient hiring budget for full-time cybersecurity talent.
“Whilst cyber risk is gaining traction as a strategic priority, there is still insufficient cyber literacy among executive teams and board members, and consequently, Australian organisations have serious gaps in their cyber expertise,” said Maxime Cousseau.
Rising Compliance Pressure on Australian Businesses
With the Australian Government’s tightening cybersecurity regulations, Australian companies now face significant compliance implications and penalties regarding cyber breaches, primarily governed by the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 and its Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
“The need for accessible cybersecurity leadership has never been greater. OutsourcedCISO is closing this capability gap, empowering companies to build resilience, meet compliance obligations, and maintain customer trust before a breach occurs,” said Maxime Cousseau.
ASIO’s 2025 Annual Threat Assessment reports that Australian infrastructure has been routinely targeted by threat actors throughout the past year, and there has been a growing volume of sophisticated threats, including AI-driven attacks. Unfortunately, this is exacerbated by the reluctance of many organisations, including many medium-sized companies, to invest in proactive cybersecurity measures, which leaves them vulnerable to phishing and other serious breaches.
Operational Impacts of Missing Cyber Leadership
Without clear cybersecurity leadership, many fast-growing companies struggle with essential security responsibilities and executing a coherent strategy. They also face challenges in prioritising remediation, meeting Australian regulatory requirements, and measuring the ROI of their existing security investments. The result is reactive, fragmented decision-making that leaves them vulnerable to attack. It also increases their risk of regulatory scrutiny when an incident occurs.
How OutsourcedCISO Fills the Leadership Gap
“We provide expert strategy, governance, and compliance capabilities at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CISO,” says Maxime. “Our clients get the same calibre of leadership that protects big banks and ASX-listed companies, tailored to their size, risk profile and growth ambitions,” he said.
Enterprise-Grade Cyber Leadership at Fractional Cost
The OutsourcedCISO model enables organisations to access experienced cybersecurity leaders and structured frameworks. It delivers this support without the expense, delays, or recruitment challenges that come with hiring in-house. This helps them bridge the gap between enterprise-grade expertise and mid-size business accessibility.
About OutsourcedCISO
OutsourcedCISO provides fractional cybersecurity leadership to Australian businesses. It helps organisations achieve enterprise-grade security outcomes without enterprise-level costs. This Australian cybersecurity consultancy delivers strategic guidance, governance, and compliance solutions to organisations of all sizes. These services help them meet standards such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2 while still enabling innovation and growth.
To learn more about OutsourcedCISO’s fractional cybersecurity leadership services, visit www.outsourcedciso.com.au.
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