AISA calls for cyber security features to be standard in SMB tech products

The Australian Information Security Association (AISA) is calling on technology companies to include essential cyber security protections as standard, warning that small businesses are being left exposed by products and services that charge extra for basic security features.

In a submission to the House Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations, AISA has called for government intervention to ensure technology products and services are secure by default, with core security features included in standard pricing.

AISA board director Dr Rajiv Shah, who gave evidence to the committee, said small businesses were being asked to manage increasingly sophisticated cyber threats without the expertise, resources or purchasing power of larger organisations.

"Too often, important security features are treated as optional extras or reserved for more expensive enterprise products," Dr Shah said.

"A small business owner shouldn't need to be a cyber security expert to work out whether the software they rely on is safe, or whether they need to pay more to protect it."

AISA's submission calls for essential cyber security features to be included in standard technology products and services, clearer guidance to help small businesses choose competent cyber security and IT providers, practical ongoing cyber awareness training for small business owners and employees, and cyber security standards tailored to the resources and risks of smaller organisations.

Shah said responsibility for improving Australia's cyber resilience needed to extend beyond individual businesses.

"Technology suppliers have the expertise and resources to build security into their products from the outset. We need to stop placing so much of that responsibility on small businesses that have little control over the technology they purchase," he said.

"Cyber security is a basic requirement of doing business. It should come as standard, not as an expensive upgrade."