Many businesses still view penetration testing as optional, often delaying it until after an incident has already occurred. This mindset leaves organizations exposed amid rising and shifting security challenges, where attackers constantly probe for weaknesses.

According to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025, the global average cost of a data breach is USD 4.4 million, while in Australia it sits at USD 2.55 million. Adding to this, Australia has been ranked as the fourth most targeted nation for cyberattacks, showing just how vulnerable local businesses really are.

The Real Cost of Skipping Pen Tests

Avoiding penetration testing may seem like a cost-saving decision, but the numbers tell a different story. When organizations fail to identify vulnerabilities before attackers do, they face financial, operational, and reputational consequences that far outweigh the cost of testing.

• Financial Losses: Breaches can lead to millions in recovery costs, legal fees, fines, and compensation payouts.
• Operational Downtime: Critical systems often need to be taken offline during incident response, halting productivity.
• Regulatory Penalties: Non-compliance with frameworks like PCI-DSS or GDPR can result in steep fines.
• Reputational Damage: Customers lose trust quickly when their data is exposed and rebuilding that trust is expensive.

In FY2023–24, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) responded to over 1,100 cyber security incidents, showing how frequently systems are being exploited.

For SMBs, the average self-reported cost of cybercrime per report is:

• Small business:$49,600
• Medium business:$62,800

These figures show that no business is too small to escape the impact of cybercrime. A pen test only cost a fraction of that. What looks like an avoided expense can quickly turn into a devastating financial hit.

Recent SMB Attacks That Could’ve Been Prevented with Pen Tests

• Loyola College (Education) - Watsonia, Victoria - Loyola College confirmed a cyber incident after the Interlock ransomware gang claimed responsibility, exfiltrating nearly 600 GB of highly sensitive personal and financial data and forcing a full password reset for staff, students, and parents.
• O&G (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) - Adelaide, SA - Adelaide Women’s Health Clinic has confirmed a cyberattack in which threat actors claimed to have exfiltrated sensitive patient data from its systems.
• Skeggs Goldstein (Financial Services) - New South Wales - Skeggs Goldstien, a financial services firm in NSW, confirmed they are investigating a Qilin ransomware attack after being listed on a leak site; the attackers allegedly exfiltrated ~500 GB of client and business data — including tax returns, financial docs, signed confidentiality agreements, and more.
• MKA Accountants (Accounting) - Moonee Ponds, Victoria - The accounting firm was hit by Qilin ransomware where the group published internal documents such as emails, financial statements, and insurance records on the dark web.

Source: David Hollingworth

from https://www.linkedin.com/company/cyberdailyau/

How Penetration Testing Could Have Helped

Manual penetration testing, as we do at Cyber Node, simulates real-world attacks to uncover weaknesses before criminals exploit them. In the cases above, regular testing could have:

• Found misconfigurations, weak access controls, or unpatched systems.
• Exposed insecure data storage and exfiltration paths.
• Assessed how quickly breaches would be detected and contained.
• Tested third-party services and cloud integrations for hidden risks.
• Limited the blast radius by revealing poor segmentation or privilege gaps.

The cost of not doing penetration tests far outweighs the investment required to perform them. Skipping tests may save money today, but the financial, legal, and reputational fallout of a breach can devastate a business tomorrow.

By making penetration testing a core part of cybersecurity strategy, organizations not only protect their assets but also demonstrate a proactive commitment to customer trust and compliance. In cybersecurity, prevention is always cheaper and smarter than recovery.

Find the Gaps Before Hackers Do

Attackers only need one weakness to break in. At Cyber Node, we help you find and fix those weaknesses before they are exploited. Our penetration tests are performed by certified experts who replicate real-world attack methods to give you an honest picture of your security.

Every organization, regardless of size, carries risks that attackers look to exploit. Security isn’t about guessing. It’s about knowing where you stand.

📩 Contact us at sales@cybernode.au or visit cybernode.au to book your penetration test today and protect your business before it’s too late.