Introduction from Sarah Loiterton, General Manager Microsoft Cloud, Dicker Data:

Whether it’s a multi-million-dollar entity, public sector agency or ‘mum and dad’ operation, cyber security is now front-of-mind for small to midsized business decision-makers.

And with the Cyber Security Act (2024) now holding them accountable for how they protect their systems, there’s never been a better time to take stock of cyber security.

As the biggest Australian-owned and operated IT distributor, we at Dicker Data were inspired to publish this report to help Australian businesses leverage cyber security to underpin their growth. With a network of 8000 IT partners nationwide – and as a Microsoft Premier authorised distributor – we have the depth and breadth of knowledge and capacity to help you find the right solution provider to speed your business success. 

The report you’re now reading brings to life how our leading cyber security partners help businesses just like yours successfully ramp up their defences against threats – even as they adapt to dynamic economic conditions and seek to speed their growth.

The following six chapters showcase how Australian businesses came to enjoy end-to-end cyber security on a single pane of glass through Microsoft’s holistic platform wielded by Australia’s most proficient IT partners.

Together, we will explore key challenges, innovative solutions and tangible outcomes achieved by businesses of all sizes, coast-to-coast and across Australia’s sectoral spectrum. No matter your business, geographic location or customer base, here is a roadmap to straighten your security posture, empower your workforce and ensure business resilience in an increasingly complex – and hostile – digital world.

For Lindentech, this meant repelling an attacker in minutes and before their customer was even aware of the scale of the threat to their email boxes. Once the threat was abated, the Perth partner could demonstrate to its customer why they should uplift their identity and access management (IAM) without delay. It implemented multifactor authentication (MFA) underscored by a philosophy of Zero Trust – ‘never trust; always verify’ – upheld by Microsoft’s technology stack including Entra ID and Microsoft Sentinel.

We shift focus to worker engagement and productivity through the transformative power of modern device management and cloud. Melbourne partner, Byte, deployed a strategic refresh of end-point devices for a professional services firm’s 800 users. A finance lease expiration was the opportune moment to move from an on-premises infrastructure to a cloud-native model leveraging Microsoft Intune. The instrumental role of Conditional Access policies underpinned by MFA ensured only compliant and secure devices could access business data.

As government regulations increasingly weigh on decision-makers’ deliberations, the urgent need for governance, risk and compliance (GRC) support has never been more profound. For Diamond IT’s defence customer, this meant leveling up its cyber maturity to Essential Eight Level Two to meet a government mandate that would secure its business future. The Newcastle partner guided its customer through the transition, transparently communicating new restrictions to manage staff expectations. Microsoft Purview would ultimately be a valuable tool to streamline GRC processes and demonstrate compliance – essential for the defence contractor’s continuance.

Closely aligned with GRC considerations (and again facilitated by Microsoft Purview) was the experience of Aeris Networks as it empowered an emerging mining customer to navigate the complexities of data protection. The Perth partner facilitated its customers’ collaboration with external entities while boosting protection of its intellectual property. Aeris Networks’ implementation of Microsoft Purview enabled the customer to classify data, establish secure sharing frameworks and enforce data loss prevention (DLP) policies. The phased approach to data protection highlights the importance of visibility over data at rest.

Proving the value of cyber security and GRC is often fraught. However, Linktech Australia exercised its superpower by ‘soaking up’ unrealised benefits for which a customer was already paying. The east coast Microsoft Advanced Specialised Partner elevated their customer’s Essential Eight compliance level by simply activating features such as Intune, Entra ID, and Defender already extant in existing E5 licences. This cost-effective approach obviated the need for third-party point solutions, limiting investment to professional services supplied and so preserved scarce IT budget.

And for anyone considering partnering for cyber security success, the lived experience of Evolution Healthcare offers an instructive case study in how strong relationships simplify. Daraco sped the growth of its healthcare customer by leveraging Microsoft's end-to-end platform to streamline IT infrastructure via MFA and Conditional Access while cutting costs. Daraco's philosophy of aligning cyber security with customer aspirations highlights the value of a partnership-led approach.

Together, these chapters narrate how Australian organisations just like yours are partnering with Microsoft technology experts to navigate the complexities of modern business. And with Australian innovations such as Microsoft 365 E5 Security inexpensively bolting on enhanced identity, access, device, collaboration and cloud apps defences, now is the time for you to act.

We hope these customer success stories serve as a practical guide to help you build for yourselves a more secure, resilient and productive future.

Contact the partners mentioned in this report for a free cyber security assessment.