Today’s threat landscape operates around the clock. Attackers don’t work office hours, and neither do the threats they unleash. From ransomware to data exfiltration, organisations are under pressure to detect, respond to, and recover from incidents in real time. 

The challenge? Many businesses still rely on fragmented security controls, under-resourced teams, and monitoring models that weren’t designed to operate 24/7. That’s where the concept of a Hybrid Security Operations Centre (SOC) comes in, offering a practical, scalable path to always-on threat visibility that leverages external expertise while retaining complete control.

This blog offers a quick technical check to help you assess whether your business is truly equipped for continuous protection and where a Hybrid SOC model could step in and help strengthen your posture.

The Readiness Test: Are You Covered?

Use the checkpoints below to assess how prepared your organisation is for today’s constant threat landscape. If any of these areas feel uncertain or underdeveloped, it may be time to explore how a Hybrid SOC can help strengthen your overall posture.

1. Do you have consistent, real-time visibility into threats 24/7?
   Cyber threats often strike outside core business hours. If your environment isn’t monitored continuously (including nights, weekends, and public holidays) you may be exposed when coverage is needed most. Around-the-clock visibility is now a baseline requirement for reducing dwell time and containing risk.
2. Are you comfortable with how incidents are triaged and escalated?
   Alert fatigue is a growing challenge. Without structured triage processes and clearly defined escalation paths, it’s easy for high-priority issues to be missed or delayed. A well-supported response function of managed detection and response brings clarity, speed, and confidence to incident handling, especially when workloads are high.
3. Is threat intelligence part of your day-to-day decision-making?
   Threat actors are constantly evolving their tactics. Relying on static or surface-level insights can leave critical blind spots. Real-time threat intelligence, tailored to your environment and industry, enhances detection and supports a more proactive defence.
4. Do you feel confident meeting compliance and reporting needs?
   Regulatory frameworks like Essential Eight and ISO 27001 require demonstrable control over logging, response, and reporting. If your logs are fragmented or reports are manually compiled, you may struggle to maintain audit readiness. Centralised, structured reporting builds trust and reduces audit fatigue.
5. Have you recently tested your team’s incident response strategy?
   Even the best response plans need validation. Regular testing, from tabletop exercises to technical simulations, ensures your processes work in practice, not just on paper. It also helps identify gaps and reinforce roles before a real incident occurs.

Why 24/7 Readiness Requires a Hybrid Approach

Even organisations with strong internal IT teams struggle to maintain continuous vigilance. Hiring and retaining security talent is difficult. Building a SOC from scratch is costly and resource-intensive and fully outsourcing often creates a disconnect between your business and your security posture.

A Hybrid SOC offers a more balanced model, one that combines:

• Around-the-clock monitoring by a dedicated team of trusted analysts
• Co-managed visibility, keeping your team in the loop
• Automated response frameworks aligned and tailored to your environment
• Threat intelligence integration from trusted global and local sources
• Compliance-ready reporting for audit confidence.

A hybrid SOC approach isn’t outsourcing, It’s about extending your team with the support and tooling required to mature your posture, without losing control.

What a Hybrid SOC Looks Like in Practice

Technically, a Hybrid SOC operates as an extension of your internal team. It integrates with your environment via SIEM or XDR tooling and provides full-spectrum support including:

• Log aggregation and analysis
• Real-time threat detection and triage
• Defined escalation procedures
• Threat intelligence correlation
• Incident response playbook execution
• Monthly reporting and dashboarding
• Regular review and improvement loops

This model ensures you’re not just catching threats  but learning from them, adapting, and continuously strengthening your cyber defence solutions.

Ready to Benchmark Your Security Maturity?

If you’re unsure how your business would respond to a middle of the night breach, it’s time to check. Not with a spreadsheet, but with a structured, expert led assessment.

Cube Cyber is your trusted Australian cybersecurity partner, delivering enterprise grade protection through a locally operated, expert led Hybrid SOC. Our co-managed model provides 24/7 visibility, real time incident response, and high touch advisory, run entirely from our sovereign facility in Brisbane by local analysts who understand your environment.

At the core of our operations is Tesseract, a proprietary in house platform that brings together advanced threat intelligence, automation, and incident response, giving you tailored, scalable protection that scales with your business. 

Book your Security Assessment with our trusted local SOC experts today and evaluate your current threat readiness and identify practical areas for improvement.

Yet despite this reality, many businesses are still trying to carry the entire weight of cyber defence solutions internally, often with lean IT teams, limited budgets, and overworked security leads. It is a model that no longer scales. And increasingly, it is a model that introduces more risk than it removes.

That is where co-managed security, particularly through a Hybrid Security Operations Centre (SOC), emerges not just as a workaround but as a smarter, future ready approach to protecting your organisation.

The Limits of Traditional Security Models

Historically, organisations have faced a binary choice: either build an in-house SOC or outsource security entirely to a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP). Both approaches come with trade-offs.

In-house teams offer control and context but often lack the scale, tooling, or around the clock coverage needed to keep pace with today’s threat landscape. Outsourced providers, while offering coverage and scale, may operate with limited visibility into your environment and without the high-touch collaboration your business needs.

This either scenario often leaves mid-sized organisations stuck, big enough to need robust security, but without the budget or appetite to go all in on a fully staffed SOC or a third party.

Co-Managed Security: A Middle Path with Maximum Impact

A co-managed model breaks this binary thinking. It enables your internal team to retain control and visibility while extending your capacity, capability, and coverage with expert external support for managed detection and response.

In practical terms, this means your organisation can leverage a Hybrid SOC model that operates in tandem with your internal resources. You gain access to a fully staffed team of security analysts, real time advanced threat detection, advanced tooling, and a structured response framework, all while staying involved and informed.

The result is that your team can focus on high priority IT initiatives, strategic planning, and decision making, rather than drowning in alerts or scrambling during cyber defence incidents.

Key Benefits of a Co-Managed SOC Approach

1. Around the Clock ‘ Active Monitoring and Incident Response’ Without the Overhead: Building a team to monitor threats 24/7 is not just expensive, it is also difficult to retain talent in such a competitive space. A Hybrid SOC gives you constant coverage from experienced analysts, often for a fraction of the cost of what it would cost to build and maintain the capability-in house. 
2. Greater Control, Shared Responsibility: Unlike full outsourcing, co-managed models allow you to stay in the loop. You retain visibility into incidents, have input into escalation paths, and can align operations with internal policies and risk appetite.
3. Improved Incident Response Times: With a Hybrid SOC continuously monitoring your environment, threat detection and triage happens in real time. This reduces dwell time and minimises potential damage from breaches or misconfigurations.
4. Enhanced Compliance and Reporting: For many industries, regulatory compliance is no longer optional. Co-managed security offers structured processes and audit ready reporting to support compliance with frameworks like Essential Eight, ISO 27001, or industry specific mandates.
5. Reduced Third-Party Risk Through ISO 27001 Certified Partnerships: Partnering with an ISO 27001 certified provider gives you confidence that security controls are comprehensive, auditable, and aligned with global standards; reducing risk, simplifying compliance, and strengthening your overall posture.
6. Security That Scales with You: As your business evolves, your security needs shift. A co-managed SOC scales alongside your operations, offering flexibility to grow without rearchitecting your entire security model.

Why Cube Cyber

Cube Cyber is your trusted Australian cybersecurity partner, delivering enterprise grade protection through a locally operated, expert led Hybrid SOC.

Built for organisations operating in regulated or high risk sectors, our co-managed model combines 24/7 monitoring, real time incident response, and high touch advisory, delivered entirely from our sovereign facility in Brisbane.

We don’t outsource. Our SOC is staffed by local analysts and engineers who work directly with your systems, policies, and people. We know your environment, which means faster, more accurate response and a more collaborative security partnership.

With a focus on practical, scalable protection, our SOC is built on industry leading security technologies, all integrated through Tesseract, our proprietary in house platform. Developed locally by our team, Tesseract brings together threat intelligence, automation, and incident response to deliver tailored protection that evolves with your organisation.

Book your Security Assessment with our Local SOC experts today.

A one hour session designed to evaluate your current threat readiness and uncover practical ways to strengthen your security posture.

Identifying cybersecurity vulnerabilities in your network is a crucial step in securing your digital assets. While a one-time vulnerability scan is beneficial, it’s crucial to avoid the misconception that a single scan ensures network security. 

With the increasing frequency and complexity of cyber threats, long-term cybersecurity requires ongoing efforts. Regular, full scans of your entire environment are essential. 

We advocate for a proactive approach, recommending the scheduling of full vulnerability scans at least once a month or following any significant ICT changes. Thanks to modern vulnerability scanning tools, these scans can be integrated into your routine outside of business hours, minimising disruptions to operations and staff. 

Nurturing a culture of vigilance

Cybersecurity is an ongoing process, and staying vigilant is essential. Regular vulnerability management brings numerous benefits: 

Continuous Adaptation to Threats 
The cybersecurity landscape is dynamic, with new vulnerabilities emerging regularly. An ongoing scanning service ensures that your organisation stays updated on the latest threats.  

Adapting to System Changes 
Networks are not static; evolving with changes in software, hardware, and configurations. Continuous vulnerability scans help identify threats caused by system changes, updates, or new installations.  

Timely Threat Detection 
Cyber attackers are relentless in developing new methods and exploiting vulnerabilities. Through regular scanning, your organisation can quickly find and address emerging threats before they have a chance to be exploited. 

Compliance 
Many industries and regulatory frameworks require regular vulnerability assessments. Engaging in an ongoing scanning service not only ensures compliance but also mitigates potential legal or regulatory issues. 

Prioritisation of Remediation 
Regular scans provide a prioritised list of vulnerabilities based on severity. This allows your IT and security teams to focus on addressing the most critical issues first, thereby enhancing the overall security posture of your organisation. 

Risk Management 
At its core, cybersecurity is about proactive risk management. Ongoing vulnerability scanning allows you to proactively manage and mitigate risks by identifying and addressing potential weaknesses before they can be exploited. 

Incident Prevention 
Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities proactively becomes a powerful tool in preventing security incidents and data breaches. Ongoing scanning ensures that your organisation stays ahead of potential threats and take preventative measures.

Security Hygiene 
Much like personal hygiene is essential for maintaining health, security hygiene is crucial for the health of your IT infrastructure. Regular vulnerability scans contribute to good security hygiene by keeping your systems and software up-to-date and secure. 

Cost-Effective 
Regular vulnerability scanning proves to be a cost-effective when compared to dealing with the aftermath of a security breach. The average cost of a data breach is $6.77 million, significantly exceeding the expense of implementing preventive measures through continuous scanning. 

Security Culture 
Establishing an ongoing vulnerability scanning service within your organisation fosters a culture of security. It emphasises the importance of proactive security measures and encourages a mindset of continuous improvement. 

Demonstrates Due Diligence 
Regular vulnerability scanning is a demonstration to stakeholders, customers, and partners that your organisation takes cybersecurity seriously. It shows that active steps are being taken to secure systems and protect sensitive information.

A proactive approach to Cybersecurity

Identifying and managing cybersecurity vulnerabilities requires a strategic blend of proactive measures and regular assessments.  

By partnering with Cube Cyber, monthly scans are effortlessly managed, sparing your valuable time. We can provide a fully Managed Vulnerability Service for your organisation, using market leading solutions from vendors, including Tenable. While we suggest monthly scanning, we understand flexibility is key. Adjust the frequency to suit your needs. Our monthly reports, featuring executive summaries in an easy-to-understand format, zero in on key risks and provide mitigation strategies tailored to your organisation.  

Our expertise takes the lead, ensuring your organisation stays ahead of potential threats, strengthening your security in the background, while you can focus on more strategic projects. 

If you would like more information on how an expert team like Cube Cyber can put Vulnerability Best Practices in place for you, contact us today. 

1. The SME Cybersecurity Imperative

SMEs may perceive themselves as less vulnerable, but the reality is that phishing attacks can have a severe impact. Phishing attacks are generally the first step by an attacker in compromising a business email account that ultimately results in financial crimes such as invoice fraud. 

Did you know? At the lower end of the scale, the cost of a cyber security breach on a medium enterprise is $97,200. Cube Cyber believes in proactive measures to safeguard businesses of all sizes. Here are essential steps for SMEs to protect themselves: 

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) 

Implementing 2FA is a crucial step in stopping phishing attacks in their tracks. Cube Cyber advocates for this added layer of protection, and it is a “must have” when accessing internet facing systems. It acts as a formidable barrier against unauthorised access. 

Employee Education 

Educating staff members on cybersecurity is paramount. Cube Cyber understands that an informed workforce is less susceptible to phishing attempts. By imparting knowledge about preventive measures, employees can actively contribute to the organisation’s cybersecurity defences. 

Password Hygiene 

ID Support NSW, a state government agency dedicated to helping victims of identity theft and hacking, underscores the critical importance for businesses to elevate their cybersecurity measures. This involves the mandate for strong passwords. Cube Cyber aligns with this recommendation and places a strong emphasis on the significance of robust password practices. 

Cube Cyber advocates not only for the strength of passwords but also for the regular rotation of these credentials. The practice of using unique passwords for various functions adds an extra layer of security, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorised access resulting from compromised credentials.

Investing in Comprehensive Security Software 

Even without clicking on a malicious email or file, vulnerabilities exist. Take, for example, common email services like Outlook or Gmail. Enabling the option to automatically download pictures might seem harmless, but it can pose a significant risk. Cube Cyber recommends investing in a complete security software system. This includes solutions like Cisco Umbrella, which stands at the forefront of Cube Cyber’s defence strategy, offering protection against phishing emails and malicious attachments. 

Regular Data Backups 

Maintaining regular backups of company data is a fundamental aspect of Cube Cyber’s approach. In the unfortunate event of a phishing attack, having backups ensures that critical information can be recovered, minimising the impact on business operations. 

“Phishing based cyber-attacks can happen to anyone in the current landscape. And although they can elude security systems, there are some basic technologies that can slow the attack. Multi-factor Authentication, Secure Service Edge (SSE), and SASI. There’s no silver bullet, but if your security is basic, it is well worth looking into the viability of some of these well-matured methods to give yourself a fighting chance.”

2. Cube Cyber’s Must-Have Solution for SMEs

Small and medium-sized enterprises often underestimate the need for cybersecurity until it’s too late. Cube Cyber, however, stands out by encouraging and delivering a proactive approach.  

Cube Cyber’s MDR Service (Manage, Detect & Respond) 

We go beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and offer cost-effective, advanced security solutions tailored specifically to the requirements of small and medium businesses. With our MDR service, we ensure comprehensive protection that aligns seamlessly with SME operations, offering strong defences against cyber threats.  

Continuous Monitoring and Expert Analysis

Leveraging a combination of expert skills and automation, we ensure continuous monitoring of your entire IT environment 24/7. Our team supplies regular reports and analyses of security incidents, offering actionable insights to drive continual improvement across your IT operations. 

Local Expertise and Australian Team

Cube Cyber’s team is locally based and understands Australian businesses and challenges deeply. Our cybersecurity analysts and consultants bring decades of experience in security, supplying valuable and accessible resources to our clients. 

Flexible and Budget-Friendly Approach

Cube Cyber adopts a menu-style, a-la-carte approach to services. You only pay for what you need, allowing flexibility around budgets, existing capabilities, and risk appetite. 

First Line of Defence: Cisco Umbrella Integration

Cube Cyber integrates Cisco Umbrella as a proactive and vigilant guardian, positioning it as one of the first lines of defence against phishing attacks. With DNS-layer security and real-time threat intelligence, Cisco Umbrella detects and neutralises potential threats right from the start, ensuring a robust and coordinated response to emerging threats. 

Email Security with Advanced Malware Protection

Cube Cyber enhances email security by integrating Email Security with Advanced Endpoint Protection, providing a formidable defence against spam, phishing emails, and malicious attachments. This proactive measure ensures that your email communications stay secure and free from potential threats. 

Is your business ready to outsmart phishing attacks? Our mission at Cube Cyber is to support your business in preventing, detecting, and responding to any kind of cyber threat. 

Contact us to get started protecting your business. 

Book your free Cyber Security consultation today and let Cube Cyber guide you towards a safer digital future. 

What are managed security services?

A managed security service provider (MSSP) will provide security protection to your business, usually remotely, and will oversee all of the cyber security measures needed for the business. They can help with anything from finding vulnerabilities in your business, to implementing cyber protection, and then managing that protection 24/7.

Common services include cloud protection, firewalls, endpoint security, intrusion detection, anti-virus security, email security, VPN’s (virtual private networks), and monitoring. This protection is usually in the form of software-as-a-service (SaaS), meaning you do not have to employ a dedicated IT team to run your cyber security.

How can managed security services help your business?

Expertise and knowledge

One of the main benefits of hiring a managed security service provider is that your business will gain access to industry experts who have been professionally trained in cybersecurity. For small and medium sized businesses (SME’s) who may not have a dedicated team of IT experts, then managed security services can help immensely.

Outsourcing your cyber security to a team with industry expertise, specific knowledge and experience can mean you are getting the best protection for your company.

Cost effective

Using managed security services can be cost effective in several ways. First of all, it eliminates the need to hire, train and keep an in-house team of IT professionals. The cost of hiring a team and providing ongoing training can much outweigh the cost of managed IT services. Hiring an MSSP means you get 24/7 protection, whilst knowing exactly how much is coming out of the budget each month.

Latest technology

With an MSSP, you get access to the latest technologies and the best applications for your cyber protection. With cyber attacks evolving at an alarming rate, you want to be sure that your business is receiving the latest in cyber protection.

Focus back on the business

By using managed security services, you are able to put your attention fully on the business and the goals you are aiming for. Instead of trying to fix time-consuming tech issues yourself, resulting in slower business operations, you can put more time into growing your business and meeting goals.

24/7 security

By hiring a MSSP, you can have peace of mind that your business is being protected day in, day out. Efficiency is improved via automatic detection and vulnerability scans. If a threat is found, you can be assured of a quick response time. With some cyber applications, the longer it is installed, the better the system recognises abnormalities or suspicious behaviour. Threats can be seen sooner, before they infiltrate your network.

What can managed security services help with?

Next Generation Firewall Security

Installing firewalls is essential for any business. They can stop harmful or malicious content from entering and leaving your network. This is particularly important if your business handles customer data or sensitive company information. Firewalls should be one of the first lines of defence.

Cloud Security

If you are using any cloud-based systems, then you will want to ensure you have some cloud security in place. Cloud applications can include systems such as Office 365, Google Docs and OneDrive. Cloud security will protect your data being stored over the cloud, using the latest technologies and controls.

Backups and reports

A managed service provider can do all the hard work for you, including regularly backing up your data and providing easy to understand reports. This can help save you time to focus on other areas of the organisation.

Monitoring

Regular monitoring and patch work will all be carried out by the third party provider. You do not have to worry about updating systems and checking that they are working ok, that is all taken care of for you.

Anti-malware

Advance malware protection is a necessity to protect your organisation against malicious websites, downloads and spyware that can destroy your business. A MSSP can provide the latest technologies to detect known and unknown malware.

Email security

Email security is vital, since most cyber attacks are caused by someone in a company opening a phishing email. The simple act of clicking on a malicious link via an email can cause a major data breach, even within a large corporation. Managed security services can ensure that all emails are scanned, filtered and clean of malicious content before arriving in your inbox. At Cube Cyber, we work with CISCO systems to give our customers the best protection available.

Vulnerability management

Vulnerability management will scan your devices and network for any vulnerabilities, evaluate any risks, and then decide on how to deal with those threats. Vulnerability scans will provide reports of the strengths of the risks and prioritise what needs to be dealt with first.

Conclusion

Cyber security requires an understanding of the current threats, the best cyber practices, technological cyber solutions and how to measure, report and implement defence plans. For smaller businesses without the expertise, time, or budget for an in-house IT team, using managed security services is an appealing and cost-effective way to stay cyber secure.

At Cube Cyber we provide managed services, using the latest technologies and trusted world-class partners. If you would like a quote for your business, then please get in touch with one of our experts today.