cybercheck your business tech^TM

Because what you've built.
And the people who trust you.
Are worth your time.

Cybersecurity guidance for small businesses & not-for-profits.

Plain language. Relatable. No jargon.

A practical guided cybercheck that you complete ahead of meeting with me. About 90 minutes to complete your cybercheck + one hour with me so I can show you what you do well, what needs improvement and what to fix first.

1 in 3 cybercrimes reported by Australian businesses involve email.

A fake invoice. A fake security alert. A message that looks like it came from your bank, a supplier or a colleague. One click, and a hacker could have your email and login details that give them access to all the business systems and data you can reach.

$56,600

That's the average cost per reported cybercrime for a small business.

Source: ASD Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024-25

This is the cost of managing cybersecurity reactively. Cyber incidents are expensive when businesses are not prepared.

Why does it cost so much?

That cost can come from money lost to a fake invoice or a scam, someone holding your data to ransom, paying to recover your systems and data, and the days your business can't operate normally.

How do I keep that cost down?

Be prepared. Set yourself up so dodgy emails are filtered out. Keep your tech up to date and back up your business data. With a strong setup, a cyber incident involving email will cost you less to recover from and won't disrupt your business as much as it might if you leave it to chance.

Your login + a code from an authenticator app on your phone is a great start. It isn't the whole job.

What else can help you stay ahead of business email compromise:

Email filtering catches fake and dangerous messages before they hit your inbox.

A digital security guard on all devices that are connected to your business network.

The same security guard, or a second one, that stops someone accidentally sending or deliberately leaking sensitive information.

Software is kept up to date.

Backups are maintained and tested so you know your data can be recovered.

A cybercheck built for your business, not a checklist.

The cost that's harder to measure is the potential loss of trust from the community that relies on you, your customers, clients or patients.

Protecting customer, client or patient data matters to you. It matters to me that you are set up with what you need to do that. Cybersecurity is a lot to wrap your head around. But it doesn't have to be overwhelming.

It's been a big part of my day job for years, working in corporations with experienced tech, security and risk support teams at their disposal. I know you may not have that level of support which is why I'm using my experience to build a tool that gives you clear guidance on what to do to reduce the impact of cyber threats on your business. I’m taking my time to get it right, but I have a working prototype.

How it works

Your cybercheck, in your own time. It takes about 90 minutes to complete a series of guided questions to help me understand your business, the type of information you hold and the technology you use.

Consultation. We'll spend an hour together to walk through your answers. I'll work with you to clarify anything that's unclear or ambiguous.

Within 5 business days, you get two plain-language, practical reports you can use hot off the press.

No jargon. No generic findings you have to translate for your business. I'll take care of that for you. It's how I'll test the working prototype to make sure it is capable of turning your cybercheck into an Implementation Statement and a Plan that is specific to your business and your technology. I'll compile your reports from what the prototype produces, and check them against your cybercheck answers for accuracy.

The Implementation Statement shows you what your biggest risks are, what you're doing well and where the gaps are.The Plan shows you what to fix first, whether you can do it yourself and what to ask an IT provider to do for you.

This is guidance, not a guarantee. No one can promise you'll never be targeted, but I can help you understand what your biggest risks are and what to do about them.

How much? $500, one-off.

I've priced each cybercheck at $500 because of how it's built. My prototype takes your answers and turns them into a structured first draft of your Implementation Statement and Plan, work that can take a consultant days.That frees my time for what matters most: checking your reports against your answers, so the guidance is tailored to your business.

Importantly, when a government survey found nearly half of small businesses spend less than $500 a year on cybersecurity, I heard you. Is it enough? No. But finding out where to start shouldn't cost you more than the tools and services you need to get the job done.

The saving comes from the prototype, not from cutting corners.

Cybercheck takes about 2.5 hours of your time, start to finish.

If you're not sure where to start, you're not alone: 2 in 5 small businesses want to strengthen their online security but aren't sure where to start. That's exactly what cybercheck your business tech is designed to help with.

Source: ACSC 2023 Cyber Security and Australian Small Businesses Survey Results; auDA Digital Lives of Australians 2024

Who am I?

Hi, I'm Charmaine Cowan, a cybersecurity governance, risk and compliance specialist with years of experience working on technology and security solutions for large enterprises. I want to take what I've learned to help you understand cyber security so that you can apply it directly to your business.

You're the reason I'm building an AI-guided, self-service version of cybercheck your business tech.

I'm designing the tool so that when you cybercheck your business tech each year, you'll know exactly where you stand: what you can do, what to ask an IT provider, and what needs your attention and when.

Find me on LinkedIn

Founding participants get $100 off*.

Everyone who takes part now will help shape how well the reports set small businesses and not-for-profits up to manage their cyber risks and invest in services that make a real difference. As a thank you, you'll get $100 off each of your first two years.

*Applies to participants who complete the current service before the cybercheck your business tech subscription launches. The discount applies to each of the first two annual subscription payments made after launch.

Get in touch.

I'm working with small businesses and not-for-profits across the Bellarine, Surf Coast, Greater Geelong and Melbourne.If you'd like to cybercheck your business tech, or you have a question, I'd love to hear from you.

Email me directly:

[email protected]

Or complete the form:

When you contact me, I collect your name, business name (if you give it), email and message. I use them only to reply to your enquiry. I don't sell or share them. The form is processed by Carrd (United States) and sent to my business email. I keep enquiries as long as needed. You can ask me to delete yours at any time: [email protected]. I do not use cookies or analytics.