Is Cybersecurity now a leadership responsibility?
Earlier this week we were joined by more than 150 Village Professionals at our Masterclass on Cybersecurity.
Joining us were Lee Shrimpton, Co-Founder of ComwireIT, and Shane Bell, Co-Founder of NSB Cyber.
The take away from this masterclass was clear, cybersecurity is no longer just the domain of IT departments — it’s a leadership imperative.
“Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue anymore — it’s a business issue, a leadership issue, and a trust issue.”– Shane Bell, NSB Cyber
Targeted scams are on the rise. This is public knowledge. Lee Shrimpton shared that over 87,000 cybercrimes were reported in 2023-24. That’s one every 6 minutes, with the top three being:
- Email compromises risking in no financial loss (30%)
- Online banking fraud (13%)
- Business email compromises resulting in financial loss (13%)
Where there is financial loss for businesses, the average range is $50,000 for small business, and close to $65,000 for larger businesses.
With targeted scams on the rise and a growing reliance on digital systems to manage resident information, village operators must recognise that data protection is about more than technology — it’s about trust.
Residents and their families entrust providers with deeply personal, health and financial information. A single breach can cause irreparable harm to that trust and disrupt lives.
Shane and Lee made it clear: cyber resilience is a business risk, not just an IT function. Resilience requires leadership support, documented policies, effective cyber insurance, and a culture that values education and transparency.
“We must stop victim-blaming in cybersecurity. If someone clicks on something they shouldn’t, we need to support, not shame. That’s how you create a safe reporting culture.”
– Shane Bell, NSB Cyber
Too often, breaches go unreported internally due to embarrassment or fear of reprisal. Leaders must create an environment where staff feel safe to report incidents early — because early response is everything.
Staff training and scam awareness are critical. While technical defences like multi-factor authentication and endpoint detection are essential, human error remains the most common breach point. Building a ‘human shield’ means embedding regular education — especially for frontline and casual staff who often handle sensitive data.
“Multi-factor authentication is one of the simplest things you can do to prevent an attack. Just tick the box.” – Lee Shrimpton, ComwireIT
The masterclass also highlighted growing risks to residents themselves. Scams are becoming more sophisticated — from phishing emails to AI-generated deepfake phone calls impersonating loved ones.
“Phishing scams are no longer full of typos — cybercriminals are using AI to craft near-perfect emails. They look real because they are designed to.” – Lee Shrimpton, ComwireIT
The legal landscape is also shifting
Businesses must comply with privacy and confidentiality obligations under the Privacy Act with mandatory reporting requirements in place for businesses with turnover greater than $3m annually. In the near future, the federal government’s Scam Prevention Framework Act 2025 will introduce more formal reporting obligations.
The take away is clear, leadership and vigilance
Cybersecurity is not just about preventing loss. It’s about leadership, trust and preparedness.
‘Systems’ are now a large part of our business. They support us, and they support our residents. We need to make certain we are embedding cyber risk management into everyday operations. Ultimately, a village’s greatest asset isn’t its systems — it’s the trust and confidence of its community.
ComwireIT is a proud supporter of the DCM Institute, including sponsoring keynote speaker Lisa McInnes-Smith at the 2024 Village Summit.
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