24/7 Monitoring no longer an option: How organisations can stay vigilant even without dedicated security teams

There is no exaggeration in saying that cyber threats are a business survival issue. In fact, a standard cyber breach can very easily shutter a business.

At the top level, there’s the raw costs involved. IBM estimates a breach to have a price tag of $2.55 million in Australia. That’s concerning enough before you even account for the potential of reputational damage and, increasingly, regulatory punishment.

Little wonder, then, that cyber risk continues to be the top concern for Australian business leaders, according to the Australian Institute of Company Directors. “Cybersecurity is no longer a technical issue alone,” says Mark Thomas, Director, Security Services, ANZ, Arctic Wolf. “It’s a boardroom issue that impacts growth, reputation, and trust.”

It’s also not necessarily a risk that’s easy to counter, particularly for smaller enterprises. For one, threats do not keep office hours. Over half of security alerts arrive outside of business time. A significant portion hit during weekends. Hackers know when staff are least likely to respond, especially when they’re targeting smaller businesses.

Unfortunately, from a resourcing perspective, 24/7 vigilance is a necessity yet building a round-the-clock security team is unrealistic. Skilled cybersecurity professionals are scarce. Economic conditions are tight. And most IT leaders are already stretched keeping core systems running.

The new security reality

Organisations without dedicated security teams face a growing dilemma. Their IT staff are forced to wear multiple hats, in simultaneously managing infrastructure while also scanning for threats. Inevitably, blind spots emerge. Every unpatched system, delayed response, or overlooked alert increases the risk of a breach. Yet businesses cannot afford to simply throw more people at the problem.

This is where the conversation has shifted. Leaders are asking: how do we protect the business without draining budgets or burning out teams? The answer increasingly lies in technology, expertise, and partnership.

AI-driven security is one major shift. According to recent research by Arctic Wolf, 73% of organisations have already introduced some form of AI cybersecurity solution. And 99% say AI capabilities will influence their next purchase. But adoption is not the same as results. Many companies find it difficult to operationalise new technology. Tools are deployed, but staff lack the time or skill to integrate them effectively.

That gap between intention and execution is where most businesses stumble.

“We see too many organisations investing in tools without the resources to make them work,” explains Thomas. “It’s not enough to have AI or dashboards. What matters is how you apply them, and how fast you can act when something goes wrong.”

A future without cyber risk

Arctic Wolf’s vision is simple: a world where cyber risk doesn’t limit business growth. The company has built its model around combining technology, human expertise, and proactive support. Through this, it embeds a framework for continuous, end-to-end security operations.

The Arctic Wolf® Aurora™ Platform underpins this approach. It integrates threat detection, response, and risk management into one system. Around it sits the Concierge Delivery Model, where dedicated experts guide organisations at every step of their security journey.

These experts help interpret alerts, manage responses, and ensure nothing is left unseen. For businesses that want a full path to resilience, the Security Journey program offers a roadmap of best practices, training, and support tailored to specific industries and risk levels.

The idea is to democratise access to robust cybersecurity. “Every organisation deserves protection that doesn’t depend on the size of their IT team,” adds Thomas. “Our goal is to take the complexity out of security operations so leaders can focus on growth, not firefighting.”

Real-world examples show the impact. A partnership with the Parramatta Eels demonstrated how Arctic Wolf’s approach can secure high-profile organisations with limited internal resources. At Brighton Grammar, the school was able to strengthen its security posture without diverting staff away from student-facing priorities.

The broader industry trend points in the same direction. AI will continue to play a major role in threat detection. Risk transfer options, such as cyber insurance tied to security maturity, will become common. And most importantly, businesses will seek out partners who can bridge the gap between technology and action.

Arctic Wolf positions itself at the centre of that shift. It provides the platform, the expertise, and the journey to get there.

The stakes are too high to delay. The good news is that resilience doesn’t require an in-house security team. It requires the right combination of constant monitoring, smart technology, and experienced guidance.

As Thomas concludes: “Cybersecurity is no longer about buying another tool. It’s about achieving outcomes. Our role is to make sure those outcomes; protection, resilience, are accessible to every business, not just the largest ones.”

Get more industry trends and insights from Arctic Wolf’s Security Operations Report 2025 and Navigating the Human-AI Relationship for Security Operations Success. Want to learn about how Arctic Wolf can support your security priorities? Get in touch for a consultation.