November 30, 2025
A comprehensive guide to Australia’s leading cybersecurity firms, technologies, and market trends.
Mohammed Khalil
In 2025, Australian organizations face a complex cyber threat landscape: state sponsored espionage, AI driven attacks and record ransomware incidents are on the rise. The ASD’s ACSC reports ransomware and data breaches increasing every year. At the same time, regulatory pressure is mounting ASD’s Essential Eight baseline, APRA’s CPS 234, the SOCI Act, ISO 27001, etc.. Rigorous testing of security controls from network and application penetration tests to red team simulations is now expected for compliance.
Choosing the right cybersecurity partner is critical. This independent, research based ranking evaluates Australian providers on deep technical expertise OSCP, CISSP, CREST, IRAP accreditations, etc., breadth of services, and track record with local industries. We compare firms on transparency, reporting quality, and suitability for enterprises versus SMEs. Our goal is to help you shortlist providers from Agile, developer friendly boutique firms to established MSSPs based on objective criteria, not marketing claims.
Security purchasers often make costly mistakes when choosing a pentesting or cyber service firm. Common pitfalls include selecting solely on price, accepting generic one off tests, or ignoring a vendor’s methodology. For example, companies may opt for the cheapest option and end up with shallow assessments. Always define clear scope and objectives up front web app, network, cloud, social engineering, etc. and vet that the provider tailors their testing to your needs.
Key red flags to watch for: firms that rely only on automated scanners, no manual testing, or that lack clear statements of work. A trustworthy provider will be open about their approach and tools. They should offer a detailed plan scope, timeline, tools, rules of engagement and clearly explain the deliverables type of report, format, remediation support.
Most experts recommend balanced evaluations: ensure the provider’s team has certified talent and real experience. For instance, industry guides advise choosing firms whose testers hold credentials like OSCP or CISSP. Tools alone can’t replace human insight. Verify that the provider uses up to date techniques both automated and manual and follows recognized frameworks e.g. OWASP, NIST, MITRE.
Above all, focus on quality and relevance, not just marketing. A reputable penetration test will yield an executive summary and a full technical report with actionable remediation guidance. If a vendor’s process sounds vague or one size fits all, consider it a warning sign. Look beyond glossy presentations: demand clear evidence of expertise, case studies, references and ensure the provider understands your compliance context ASD Essential Eight, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, etc.. Support decisions with data from network vulnerability research and align your approach with industry penetration testing best practices.
Why They Stand Out: DeepStrike is a specialist pen testing firm known for its human powered, high quality penetration tests. They pioneered a subscription based continuous testing model PTaaS with on demand engagement start as quick as 24–48h and live dashboards. DeepStrike’s engineers hold top infosec certifications OSCP, CISSP, OSWE and have deep cloud and API expertise . They integrate tightly with DevOps tools Slack/JIRA plugins to streamline remediation. Clients praise DeepStrike’s deep knowledge and expertise in security, its experts often find critical vulnerabilities, others miss. Their reporting is detailed and developer friendly, with free retesting to verify fixes. Editorial note: DeepStrike is included in this list based on the same evaluation criteria applied to all providers.
Key Strengths:
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Best For: Tech savvy organizations both mid market and enterprises seeking frequent, developer friendly security tests. Ideal for cloud native businesses, fintechs, and DevOps teams that prioritize manual, high fidelity testing over automated scans.
Why They Stand Out: CyberCX is currently Australia’s largest pure play cybersecurity provider. It has dozens of offices across every state and brings hundreds of specialists to bear. The firm offers virtually every cyber service: from penetration testing and red teaming to 24/7 managed SOC, IR, and GRC advisory. CyberCX is heavily invested in Australian industry and government, with in-house SOC analysts cleared for classified data. Its broad service suite and local presence make it a one stop shop for large organizations.
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Best For: Large enterprises and government agencies needing broad, integrated cybersecurity programs. Especially suited for entities seeking a trusted local partner with depth of resources for ongoing managed security and regulatory compliance.
Why They Stand Out: Tesserent now part of Thales has a long history in Australia and is CREST and ISO 27001 accredited. It blends rigorous pentesting services with high level risk advisory. Tesserent emphasizes intelligence driven testing and works with government certified controls. Because of Thales’ backing, it brings global threat research and sophisticated tools to the table. One industry source notes Tesserent’s heritage is broad consulting with thorough technical testing combining strategic insight with hands-on expertise.
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Best For: Large, regulated organizations banking, government, defense that require certified testers and alignment with Australian compliance standards e.g. IRAP, PSPF. Also suited for companies wanting a single vendor for both technical testing and governance advice.
Why They Stand Out: Borderless CS is a new Australian owned specialist on offshore outsourcing positioning itself as 100% focused on security. It has quickly earned recognition as a leading ISO 27001:2022 and CREST ANZ accredited provider in Australia. Borderless’ strength lies in human led penetration testing and attack simulation: its team emphasizes manual, MITRE ATT&CK–informed testing rather than only tools. Reports are risk focused, highlighting business impact and remediation steps not just raw findings. They also pair testing with an onshore SOC/MDR service, giving continuous monitoring and response capabilities.
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Best For: Australian businesses both medium and large looking for a cost effective, consultative partner with strong local credentials. Well suited for organizations that want thorough manual testing plus integrated security operations without big consultancy overhead.
Why They Stand Out: Macquarie Telecom is renowned for its secure cloud and infrastructure offerings to government and regulated sectors. Its data centers hold the Australian Federal Government’s Certified Strategic designation. Macquarie’s cloud platform is designed to meet strict compliance ASD level hosting and connects directly into government networks. This native integration gives them an edge on sovereign data residency and government security. They also offer managed security operations and consulting. One analyst notes that Macquarie is a leading local telecom and cybersecurity provider for government and enterprise with government certified cloud services.
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Best For: Governments and large enterprises especially regulated ones that require hosting and security with Australian sovereignty. Ideal for clients needing certified secure cloud, networking, and support for major compliance frameworks.
Why They Stand Out: Deloitte is one of the Big Four with a major Australian cybersecurity practice. It offers deep expertise in audit, risk, and regulatory compliance e.g. APRA CPS 234, HIPAA, GDPR. Deloitte draws on global threat research and has large scale incident response capabilities. Its consulting breadth means they can integrate security into wider business transformation projects. Enterprises often choose Deloitte for their brand trust and integrated risk offerings.
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Best For: Large enterprises especially in regulated industries that need end to end security advisory and governance. Also suited to companies that want a well known audit firm handling assurance and cyber risk together.
Why They Stand Out: IBM Security has a broad portfolio of tools and services. X Force is a well known research and incident response unit. They offer MDR with global 24/7 coverage and security for IBM Cloud/Azure/AWS. IBM’s X Force Red team specializes in offensive testing. Their size provides sophisticated labs and a large pool of experts.
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Best For: Large organizations often multinational that value integrated IBM security solutions or need extensive managed services. Also a fit for clients seeking broad consulting support from a global security provider.
Why They Stand Out: Accenture Security is one of the world’s largest cyber consulting organizations. It offers advanced analytics, automation, and innovative services e.g. myNav for cloud security. Accenture often leads large transformation projects, embedding security by design. Its extensive IP and partnerships e.g., cybersecurity with Microsoft/AWS/ServiceNow help scale solutions.
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Best For: Large enterprises undergoing digital transformations that require architecture and security together for example, multi cloud migrations. Ideal when clients need a full consultancy team rather than a quick point in time test.
Why They Stand Out: As a Big Four firm, KPMG brings strong risk governance expertise. It often emphasizes cyber strategy and compliance e.g. APRA CPS 234 readiness, cyber maturity assessments as much as hands on testing. KPMG’s forensic and incident response team KPMG Cyber Incident Response is well regarded for major breaches.
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Best For: Large organizations that value a combined audit/cyber assurance approach, especially those in finance, insurance or government that must demonstrate regulatory compliance to auditors.
Why They Stand Out: PwC offers a balance of technical and advisory expertise. They publish cybersecurity reports annually, indicating a strong research arm. PwC’s Incident Response team has global reach with PwC Cyber Threat Centre for large scale breaches. Like other Big Four, they fuse business consulting with security e.g., risk quantification, cyber insurance advisory.
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Best For: Large enterprises especially banks, insurers, utilities that require top tier incident response readiness and a broad suite of risk services. Also for boards requiring a trusted advisor in their corner.
Why They Stand Out: Rapid7 bridges security tools with services. Its Insight platform is a market leader in vulnerability scanning and analytics. Rapid7’s Content Security division Sydney based is known for skilled pentesters and IR consultants. They bring an agile, data driven approach and partner closely with dev teams. Rapid7’s offerings InsightVM, InsightIDR allow automated follow up testing and monitoring.
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Best For: Mid market to enterprise clients that want to combine automated vulnerability management with expert pen testing. Especially good for agile tech companies and universities looking to integrate security tools into development cycles.
Why They Stand Out: Secureworks’ Counter Threat Unit delivers one of the more advanced cyber threat research services among MSSPs. They operate global SOCs and deliver MDR via their Taegis platform. Secureworks offers tailored penetration tests often focused on specific threats and hands on red teaming. The backing of Dell and partnerships e.g. with the Australian Cyber Security Centre bolster their credibility.
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Best For: Large enterprises including global firms needing continuous cyber defense and sophisticated intelligence. Also a fit for organizations that already use Dell security products e.g. managed EDR and want them backed by a dedicated security service.
| Company | Specialization | Best For | Region | Compliance | Ideal Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeepStrike | Advanced Pentesting & Red Team PTaaS | DevOps/cloud native companies | Global US/UAE serving AU clients | ISO 27001, PCI DSS, ASD Essential Eight | Mid Market & Enterprise |
| CyberCX | Full Spectrum Cybersecurity MSS, IR, GRC | Large enterprises, government | Australia & NZ | ISO 27001, IRAP, ASD Essential Eight | Enterprise |
| Tesserent | Technical Testing & Risk Consulting CREST | Regulated industries finance, defense | Australia Thales global | CREST, ISO 27001, IRAP | Enterprise |
| Borderless CS | Managed SOC/MDR, VAPT, GRC | Govt, enterprises, cost conscious SMBs | Australia | ISO 27001, CREST ANZ, ASD Essential Eight | SMB & Enterprise |
| Macquarie Telecom | Secure Cloud Hosting & Networking | Government, finance | Australia | ASD Certified Cloud, ISO 27001 | Enterprise |
| Deloitte Australia | Security Consulting, Testing, MDR | Highly regulated large enterprises | Global Australia ops | ISO 27001, APRA CPS 234, etc. | Enterprise |
| IBM Security | MDR QRadar, Pen testing X Force Red | Global enterprises | Global Australia ops | ISO 27001, NIST CSF, ASD Essential Eight | Enterprise |
| Accenture Security | Cyber Consulting, Managed Security | Digital transformation at enterprise | Global Australia ops | ISO 27001, SOC2, NIST | Enterprise |
| KPMG Australia | Risk Advisory, Pen testing, Forensics | Financial, healthcare, public sector | Global Australia ops | ISO 27001, PCI DSS, APRA CPS 234 | Enterprise |
| PwC Australia | Cyber Advisory, Testing, Incident Response | Enterprises & governments compliance | Global Australia ops | ISO 27001, NIST, HIPAA/APRA | Enterprise |
| Rapid7 Content Security | Vulnerability Mgmt, Pentesting | Tech companies, universities | Global Content Security in AUS | CREST ANZ, ISO 27001, ASD E8 | SMB & Enterprise |
| Secureworks | MDR Counter Threat Unit, Pentesting | Large enterprises, global firms | Global APAC presence | ISO 27001, NIST CSF, ASD Essential Eight | Enterprise |
The choice between a large consulting firm and a nimble specialist hinges on your organization’s size, risk profile, and budget. Large enterprises, banks, telcos, government, etc. often demand broad service portfolios and 24/7 coverage. They may lean toward global or Big Four providers e.g., CyberCX, Deloitte, IBM because these firms have the personnel to staff large programs and offer end to end governance. These vendors understand complex regulatory landscapes APRA, SOCI, HIPAA and often embed security into multi year digital projects. The trade off is cost: big firms can be 2–3x more expensive, and project timelines can be long.
SMBs and mid market organizations may prefer boutique or specialized providers. Firms like DeepStrike or Borderless CS can deliver hands-on expertise at a lower price point. A smaller firm often moves faster with fewer layers of bureaucracy. For example, startups or tech companies with DevOps culture benefit from the integrated testing models offered by PTaaS providers, where security assessments plug directly into the development pipeline. If your business is cost conscious or agile, an onshore boutique can outperform a name brand provider that seems overkill.
The cost versus value decision is key. A boutique pentesting firm might charge $5k–$20k for a standard test, whereas a large consultancy might quote $20k–$100k for similar work. However, large providers may justify higher fees through additional governance and insurance coverage important for highly regulated clients. Ultimately, align the provider to your risk tolerance and timeline. Enterprise orgs with massive infrastructure or public scrutiny may accept the premium for a globally recognized firm, while others will find better ROI with lean specialists that follow penetration testing best practices without excessive overhead.
Regardless of size, ensure the selected provider’s philosophy matches your needs: check if they offer a collaborative, transparent process and foster knowledge transfer, rather than simply issuing a checklist report. Smaller vendors often excel at clear communication and developer collaboration, while larger vendors excel at integration with compliance frameworks and legacy systems.
Penetration test pricing varies widely by scope and provider. In Australia, a small test e.g. a single web app might be on the order of $2,500–$15,000, whereas a medium engagement network/internal test could range $15,000–$50,000. Very large or highly targeted projects e.g. red team exercises for finance or critical infra often exceed $50,000–$150,000+. Boutique firms typically charge at the lower end $5k–$20k for standard assessments, whereas major consultancies often start around $20k and can go much higher. These figures are ballpark, exact cost depends on factors like system complexity, number of targets, and level of expertise required.
Neither alone is sufficient. A skilled tester’s judgment outweighs any single tool. Industry guidelines stress the importance of certified experts: look for testers holding credentials such as OSCP, CISSP, or CEH. These indicate solid training and a minimum proficiency. However, experienced testers don’t rely on tools alone, they manually verify and exploit issues tools miss. Tools are essential for coverage and automation, but the true value comes from how testers use them. A combination of certified personnel and up to date testing frameworks e.g. OWASP, MITRE is ideal. In short, certifications and experience demonstrate the team can use tools effectively.
It varies by scope. A typical small web app test execution plus reporting might take about 1–2 weeks total. For example, one test provider schedules ~2 days of external/internal testing plus 2 days for reporting. More realistically, most clients budget 3–4 weeks from kick off to final report. Larger applications or networks can take several weeks of active testing. Industry estimates suggest you should allow at least a month from engagement to delivery, accounting for planning, testing, and QA. Factors like application size, number of users, and scheduling constraints will extend timelines. Always clarify in the contract how long the execution and reporting phases will take, and whether re testing is included if fixes are needed.
A thorough penetration test deliverable should include an executive summary and a technical report. The executive summary for leadership outlines the scope, key findings, and overall risk posture in non technical terms. The technical report details each finding: evidence, severity, likelihood, impact, and recommended remediation steps. It should provide step by step instructions or references for fixing vulnerabilities. Some firms also include a remediation verification package or follow up plan. In practice, expect a structured report with an executive overview and a detailed breakdown of issues, plus an opportunity for your team to discuss findings with the testers. Nothing should be hidden behind vague statements, you should walk away with a clear action plan.
As a rule of thumb, at least annually for most organizations and more frequently if risk is high. Regulatory frameworks and standards ASD E8, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, etc. typically call for yearly reviews. However, experts increasingly advocate for continuous or rolling testing. For example, Tesserent notes that annual pentests are too infrequent for modern threats. Many firms now perform quarterly or continuous tests especially in DevOps environments to catch issues quickly. Significant changes in new applications, major updates, or significant infrastructure changes should also trigger additional tests. In summary, plan annual baseline tests but supplement them with intermediate checks especially in dynamic or high risk environments.
Selecting the right cybersecurity firm in Australia requires balancing expertise, trust and practicality. Our research emphasizes objective criteria certified skill, service breadth, local experience, and clear reporting so you can compare providers on equal footing. We have deliberately highlighted each vendor’s strengths and caveats to ensure neutrality. Whether you prioritize onshore expertise CyberCX, Borderless CS, global consulting depth Deloitte, IBM, Accenture or specialized offensive capability DeepStrike, Tesserent, the choice depends on your specific needs. Armed with this analysis, you can make an informed decision: pick the partner whose proven capabilities, certifications, and approach best match your organization’s risk profile and goals. Always verify claims, ask for references and methodology and remember that an independent mindset not hype will lead you to the best fit.
Mohammed Khalil is a Cybersecurity Architect at DeepStrike, specializing in advanced penetration testing and offensive security operations. With certifications including CISSP, OSCP, and OSWE, he has led numerous red team engagements for Fortune 500 companies, focusing on cloud security, application vulnerabilities, and adversary emulation. His work involves dissecting complex attack chains and developing resilient defense strategies for clients in the finance, healthcare, and technology sectors.
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