OutsourcedCISO urges businesses to invest in cyber leadership before a breach forces their hand
Australian organisations are facing a critical cybersecurity leadership deficit that leaves them dangerously exposed to threats, warns OutsourcedCISO, a leading cybersecurity consultancy. Many businesses—particularly fast-growing mid-market firms—operate without a dedicated cybersecurity leader, resulting in fragmented strategies, poor incident readiness, and delayed responses to regulatory changes.
According to OutsourcedCISO, most companies only seek cybersecurity leadership after suffering a breach, when the damage is already extensive. The shortage of experienced CISOs in Australia, combined with budget constraints and low cyber awareness at board level, has widened this leadership gap.
“Cyber budgets often open only after a major incident—by then, trust is broken, systems are down, and recovery costs are exponentially higher,”
says Maxime Cousseau, Founder & CISO, OutsourcedCISO.
With the Australian Government tightening regulations under the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 and the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, organisations now face higher penalties for data breaches and compliance failures. Yet, many still take a reactive rather than proactive approach to security governance—despite escalating cyber threats, including AI-driven attacks, highlighted in ASIO’s 2025 Annual Threat Assessment.
“Cyber risk is now a strategic business issue, not just a technical one,” says Cousseau. “Without cyber leadership, organisations struggle to prioritise risks, measure ROI on security investments, comply with regulatory standards, and build true resilience.”
OutsourcedCISO offers a fractional CISO model, providing enterprise-grade strategic oversight, governance, compliance, and security leadership—without the cost and delay of full-time executive hiring. This model is particularly relevant for small and mid-sized organisations that need cybersecurity expertise but lack the resources to maintain a permanent CISO.
The firm supports clients in meeting ISO 27001 and SOC 2 standards while ensuring security measures align with business growth, reputation, and customer trust.
