Cyber security is no longer just an IT concern—it’s a core business responsibility. Yet despite rising awareness and increasingly sophisticated threats, many Australian businesses still operate under outdated assumptions about what cyber security really involves. These myths can create dangerous blind spots, leaving organisations vulnerable to data breaches, downtime, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties.
Understanding and addressing these misconceptions is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your cyber resilience and protect your business in a digital-first world.
Myth 1: “We’re Too Small to Be a Target”
One of the most common—and most dangerous—beliefs is that cyber criminals only go after large corporations. In reality, small and medium-sized businesses are often preferred targets. Why? Because they typically have fewer security controls, limited monitoring, and less formalised response plans.
Automated attacks don’t discriminate by company size. If your business uses email, cloud software, online banking, or customer databases, it’s a potential entry point. Cyber criminals know that smaller organisations are more likely to pay ransoms or struggle to recover from disruptions.
Myth 2: “Antivirus Software is Enough”
Traditional antivirus tools play a role, but they’re far from a complete solution. Modern cyber threats are multi-layered and constantly evolving, often bypassing basic endpoint protection entirely.
Today’s attacks may involve phishing, credential theft, compromised cloud accounts, ransomware, or supply chain vulnerabilities. Effective cyber security requires a combination of monitoring, access controls, employee awareness, secure backups, and ongoing risk assessments—not just a single piece of software running in the background.
Myth 3: “Cyber Security is an IT Problem, not a Business Issue”
Cyber security failures don’t just impact servers or networks—they affect revenue, operations, customer trust, and compliance obligations. Treating cyber security as a purely technical issue often means it’s underfunded, misunderstood, or disconnected from broader business risk planning.
In reality, cyber security should sit alongside financial, legal, and operational risk management. This is where experienced partners like Infotrust help businesses align cyber security strategies with governance, risk, and compliance requirements, rather than treating them as isolated technical tasks.
Myth 4: “Our Staff Wouldn’t Fall for a Scam”
Even well-trained, intelligent employees can be caught out by convincing phishing emails or social engineering tactics. Attackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often impersonating suppliers, executives, or trusted brands using real-world context gathered from social media or previous breaches.
Human error remains one of the leading causes of cyber incidents. That doesn’t mean staff are the problem—it means regular training, clear policies, and simple reporting processes are essential parts of a strong cyber security posture.
Myth 5: “The Cloud Provider Handles Security for Us”
Cloud platforms are generally secure—but security responsibilities are shared. While providers protect the underlying infrastructure, businesses are still responsible for how their systems are configured, who has access, and how data is managed.
Misconfigured permissions, weak passwords, and poor access controls are among the most common causes of cloud-based data breaches. Assuming the cloud “takes care of everything” can leave critical information exposed without anyone realising it.
Myth 6: “We’ll Know Immediately if We’re Breached”
Many cyber incidents go undetected for weeks or even months. Attackers often aim to stay hidden, quietly extracting data or monitoring systems before taking action. Without proper logging, monitoring, and alerting in place, businesses may not realise something is wrong until customers report issues or systems suddenly fail. Early detection dramatically reduces the cost and impact of a breach—but only if the right visibility tools are in place.
Myth 7: “Cyber Security is Too Expensive”
While there is an investment involved, cyber security is often far less expensive than the cost of a serious incident. Data breaches can lead to lost revenue, legal costs, regulatory fines, operational downtime, and long-term reputational damage. Modern cyber security strategies are scalable and risk-based, meaning businesses can prioritise what matters most rather than trying to do everything at once. The real cost comes from inaction, not preparation.
It’s time to move beyond the myths
Cyber security myths persist because technology evolves faster than common understanding. Unfortunately, attackers exploit these gaps relentlessly. By challenging outdated assumptions and taking a proactive, business-aligned approach to cyber risk, organisations can significantly reduce their exposure.
The most resilient businesses are those that treat cyber security as an ongoing process—one that evolves alongside their operations, people, and technology. Dispelling these myths is the first step toward building a stronger, safer digital foundation.
