MY CYBER GUARD launches free cyber health check for SMEs

MY CYBER GUARD has launched a free online Cyber Health Check for Australian small businesses, aimed at owners and managers rather than specialist IT staff.

The short self-assessment asks about password management, software updates, backups, staff awareness, email security, access controls and incident preparedness. After completing the questionnaire, users receive a cyber health rating and practical recommendations.

The launch reflects a gap in the small business market. As more firms adopt digital tools, many still lack internal cybersecurity teams. Technology decisions often fall to owners, managers or external providers, leaving businesses with limited time and technical knowledge to assess risk.

Anthony Cooper, Founder, MY CYBER GUARD, said the tool was built for people running businesses, not security specialists.

"Most small business owners know cybersecurity matters. The challenge for them is knowing where to start," said Anthony Cooper, Founder, MY CYBER GUARD.

He said many small firms are juggling customer service, staffing and day-to-day operations when making decisions about digital security.

"They're busy serving customers, managing staff and running their businesses. They don't have the time to become cybersecurity experts, nor do they have dedicated IT or security teams advising them every day," Cooper said.

Small business focus

Cybersecurity advice and assessment tools are often written for technical users, making them harder for non-specialists to use. MY CYBER GUARD positioned its approach as a simple health check that a business owner could complete in a short break.

That framing matters in a market where many companies routinely review finances, insurance and workplace safety, but may not assess cyber exposure until after an incident. A simpler format could encourage earlier action.

Cooper also pointed to a common assumption among smaller firms that they are either adequately prepared or too small to attract criminal attention.

"The reality is that cybercriminals don't discriminate based on business size. Small businesses often present attractive targets because they typically have fewer security controls while still holding valuable customer, employee and financial information," Cooper said.

The product is positioned as a starting point rather than a technical audit. By asking straightforward questions and returning an accessible rating, it aims to help businesses identify immediate gaps without requiring specialist knowledge.

Wider push

The new small business tool follows the earlier introduction of MY CYBER GUARD's Personal Cyber Health Check. That product was presented to executives at customer-owned banks exploring ways to help members understand exposure to scams, identity theft and other online threats through embedded, white-label and referral models.

The small business version extends the same basic idea to commercial users. In both cases, the focus is on giving users a clearer picture of risk before a breach or scam occurs.

For small firms, that may include common operational weaknesses such as weak passwords, poor patching practices, inconsistent backups, weak email controls and a lack of incident plans. Those issues often sit outside formal governance structures in smaller organisations, even when the business handles staff records, customer details and payment information.

Australia's small business sector faces growing pressure to manage cyber risk as more operations move online and as fraud, phishing and data theft remain persistent threats. Many businesses rely on cloud software, email systems and digital payment tools, but their security processes remain informal.

In that environment, low-cost or free diagnostic tools have become one way for providers to reach firms unlikely to buy full consulting services at the outset. A brief self-assessment can also be an entry point for owners who know cyber risk matters but have not yet prioritised it.

Cooper said the broader aim is to make cybersecurity easier for non-technical users to approach.

"We wanted to create something that business owners could complete over a coffee break. A health check is something everyone understands. It's a quick way to identify potential issues before they become bigger problems. We believe cybersecurity should be just as easy to understand and just as easy to act on," Cooper said.

He said businesses should treat cybersecurity as a routine management issue rather than something to consider only after an attack.

"Cybersecurity shouldn't begin after an attack. It should begin with understanding your cyber health and identifying simple improvements before criminals have an opportunity to exploit weaknesses," Cooper said.

"Our goal isn't to make cybersecurity more complicated. It's to make it easier for people to understand where they stand, what they can improve and how they can better protect themselves, their families and their businesses," Cooper said.