Cyber SecurityBuilt forAustralianAccounting
Protect client financial records, avoid ATO portal takeover, and keep practice management software online. We work with Australian accounting firms to find the technical gaps before a breach forces you to notify your clients and the OAIC.
Industry-specific risks
Why Australian accounting
practices are at high risk
Criminals target accounting firms because they hold the financial records, tax file numbers, and banking details of dozens or hundreds of clients. Most practices rely on their IT provider for security, so attackers find the gaps first.
Protecting Client Financial Records
A breach exposing client tax file numbers, financial statements, or banking details triggers mandatory OAIC breach notification and destroys client trust built over years. The financial and personal data accountants hold attracts both fraud operators and ransomware groups, which makes your firm a high-value target.
Highest risk vector for Australian accounting practices
Ransomware on Practice Software
Ransomware that locks MYOB, Xero, or your document management system halts client work entirely during tax season. Attackers know the timing pressure on accountants and use it to force fast payment.
ATO Portal Fraud & Tax Agent Compromise
Compromised ATO Online Services for Agents credentials allow attackers to redirect client refunds, lodge fraudulent BAS returns, and alter bank account details. Tax agent account takeover leads to significant financial losses and regulatory investigation.
Our solutions
Cyber security services
for accounting practices
01
Practice-Wide Security Assessment
A technical review of your systems and staff behaviours. We identify the gaps that could lead to a client data breach or practice outage, and ensure you meet Australian Privacy Principles.
02
Client Data Protection
Technical review of how client financial records are stored, accessed, and transmitted, covering practice management software configuration, encryption, and access controls.
03
M365 Security for Accounting
We harden your Microsoft 365 configuration against technical vulnerabilities while ensuring client financial data handling meets Privacy Act requirements in the cloud.
04
Privacy Act Technical Compliance
Technical assessments and reports required to satisfy cyber insurance underwriters or demonstrate compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles and Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
05
vCISO for Accounting Practices
Strategic security leadership without the cost of a full-time executive. We become your practice's security advisor and compliance partner.
Why we understand accounting
We have seen inside accounting breaches first-hand
Cubit Cyber was founded after 14 years in the industry, including responding to over 100 ransomware and data breach incidents. A significant number involved professional services firms and accounting practices. In almost every case, it started with something fixable.
We built Cubit Cyber to do the work we wish we could have done for those practices before the incident. We know exactly what attackers look for in an accounting environment because we have seen them find it.
What breached practices had in common
No MFA on ATO Online Services for Agents
One stolen password was enough to redirect client refunds and lodge fraudulent returns
Client financial data stored in unencrypted email attachments
Files forwarded externally were never recalled or contained
Backups connected to the live network
Ransomware encrypted the backups at the same time as the live system
Based on incident response experience across 100+ cyber events prior to founding Cubit Cyber. These findings inform every assessment we conduct.
Insights for Accounting Professionals
Latest Cyber Security
Advice for Accounting Practices
Questions & answers
Questions from accounting practices
Our standard practice assessments start from $5,500. This includes a full system audit, staff risk review, and a clear remediation roadmap.
Your IT provider focuses on keeping systems running. We focus on finding vulnerabilities. Those are different jobs, and insurers are increasingly asking for independent security review.
We do not need access to actual client records. We assess the configuration, permissions, and security controls that protect those records. Our own systems are built for high-sensitivity work.
Yes. Insurers now ask specific questions about Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), backup immutability, and regular security testing. Our assessment provides the technical evidence to satisfy these requirements and may reduce premiums.
A typical assessment for a small to mid-sized practice takes 2 to 4 weeks. We work asynchronously where we can to keep your practice running normally.
We focus on the technical implementation of the Privacy Act 1988, Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme. We also assess ATO Online Services for Agents security configuration and access controls where relevant.
Take the next step
Secure your practice before
the next breach
Don't wait for an OAIC notification or a ransomware shutdown during tax season. Use our M365 assessment to get an instant security score for your practice's Microsoft environment.
Cubit Cyber is a technical security consultancy, not an accounting firm or legal firm. Nothing on this page constitutes financial advice, compliance advice, or professional legal services. For matters of regulatory obligation, consult a qualified specialist.