Are Your Low Cost Digital Services Scrutinised?

When it comes to digital services, procurement rules often mean that lower priced solutions don’t always undergo the same scrutiny as higher-value contracts, and in my experience, a lot of the time the deciding factor has been price. But times have changed and what if a lower price engagement with less purchasing/compliance conditions sees you engage a vendor that doesn’t tick all the best practice boxes?

Price alone can’t be what decides how we handle the purchase or contract renewals of digital services. The reality is that a low-priced service can still hold personal information or high-risk data. And that risk ultimately affects the community.

Recent updates to the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act and Australian Privacy Principles have raised the bar to prompt us all that no matter the value, check that all the compliance boxes are ticked! The price tag might be small, but the consequences of a security of data breach could be enormous.

To ensure your business aligns with Australian data sovereignty laws and best practices, here are some key resources:

• Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC): Offers guidance on securing your data and protecting against cyber threats. Visit cyber.gov.au for resources and updates
• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): Provides information on the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Learn more at oaic.gov.au
• Digital Transformation Agency (DTA): Offers advice on digital transformation and data handling within Australia. Explore resources at dta.gov.au
• Australian Government Business Website: A resource hub for businesses navigating compliance and data management. Visit business.gov.au.

At Mipela, we work with energy and infrastructure owners and managers across Australasia to help them meet and exceed security requirements. Our security benchmarks are the same, regardless of the service we provide or the client’s profile. From national energy supply companies to the smallest of Local Government Councils, you all get the same suite and high standard of protection services, monitoring, tools and assurance.

We’re proudly Australian-owned, with no offshore ownership or investment, and our products are designed, built, and supported entirely in-house from our Brisbane HQ.

Written by Jacqueline Button