Managed Cybersecurity for Accounting Firms & AFSL Advisers — Melbourne & Sydney

Accounting practices handle sensitive client tax and payroll information, alongside credentials for client portals and cloud accounting platforms. Access to an email account or a device can also expose the information used to exchange documents and manage payment instructions. Protecting these systems means considering endpoints, email and Microsoft 365 together, rather than treating each as an isolated tool.

CyberOM's endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) support device-level protection and visibility. Email security, including SPF, DKIM and DMARC, with Perception Point and Sendmarc helps address phishing and business email compromise. Microsoft 365 security and backup with Acronis supports data integrity and availability.

The Australian Signals Directorate's Essential Eight is the ASD/ACSC recommended baseline of eight mitigation strategies with maturity levels. Alignment and maturity assessment provide a practical way to review security measures; the framework is not mandatory for private firms.

General information, not legal advice

Section 912A(1) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) sets the general obligations of AFS licensees, including having adequate resources (financial, technological and human) and adequate risk management systems. ASIC's AFS licensee obligations page provides the regulator's overview.

ASIC Regulatory Guide 104, AFS licensing: Meeting the general obligations, explains how ASIC expects licensees to meet these obligations. RG 104 is not a cyber-specific guide. In ASIC v RI Advice Group Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 496, the Federal Court declared that an AFS licensee breached s 912A by failing to have adequate cyber risk management systems.

CyberOM's vCISO support and 24/7 SOC monitoring help advisers evidence cyber risk management through security leadership, risk registers and reporting, without hiring a full-time CISO. These services support the firm's own governance and documentation; they do not replace legal or compliance advice or guarantee ASIC or AFSL compliance.

Essential Eight alignment and maturity assessment can inform this security work. CyberOM's Essential Eight Warranty page describes its approach to the strategies and a cybersecurity warranty available to eligible clients. Refer to that page for eligibility and the existing offer.

Continuous monitoring, threat detection and analyst-led response are delivered through the group's central SOC & MDR hub (Tier-3), DIAMATIX. Managed detection and response brings human investigation and response coordination to security signals, rather than leaving a business to review alerts alone.

CyberOM's Australian entity is registered in Melbourne and serves clients in Sydney and across Australia. Read about SOC services and managed detection and response, or explore the local service pages for Melbourne and Sydney.

The table connects the service scope with the risks or guidance relevant to accounting practices and financial advisers. A service supports risk management; it does not establish legal compliance by itself.

For pricing, see the MDR pricing guide. Related guidance includes the cyber insurance controls checklist, cybersecurity for small businesses and security by sector.

Accounting firms and AFSL licensees can run the free domain exposure check for a passive look at publicly visible email and DNS security: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and MX. It is a domain exposure check, not a dark-web check or a wider review of your systems.

To discuss managed cybersecurity, talk to our team at office@cyberom.tech or +61 341 505 317. Scope is agreed per business.

Essential Eight — ASD/ACSC

ASIC RG 104 — AFS licensing: Meeting the general obligations

ASIC — AFS licensee obligations

OAIC — the Privacy Act