research report

Small Business Cyber Security Pulse Check Report 2026

For Australia’s small businesses, the spectre of cyber crime is no longer a distant concern, it’s a daily reality.

The Small Business Cyber Security Pulse Check Report 2026 summarises the findings of the final year of a multi-year Cyber Wardens research project to measure and map small business cyber security behaviours and attitudes.

This report reveals small business owners and employees are becoming more confident in managing digital risks, introducing stronger passwords, actioning software updates faster and understanding that cyber security is a whole-of-team responsibility. On the flip side, AI is increasingly supercharging scams, and most small businesses fear they couldn’t financially recover from an attack.

Behaviour change takes time, and the findings underscore the importance of continuing to build a cyber-safe culture among small businesses.