2026 Detection Time Benchmarks (Australia)*
Below is the average real-world Time to Detect (TTD) for all the Australian businesses segment sizes. This is how long attackers stay hidden but AUCyber can show you how to shrink it fast.
- SMB: 26–34 days
- Mid-Market: 18–23 days
- Enterprise: 7–12 days
Why Does Detection Time Matters?
The longer an attacker stays hidden and remains undetected within a system, the greater the potential damage they can inflict — ranging from data theft to operational disruption.
Rapid detection is critical because every minute counts; the faster a breach is identified, the more effectively its impact can be contained and minimised. Detection speed = impact reduction.
How Do Attackers Get In?
Over 70% of cybersecurity breaches begin with identity compromise giving attackers access to critical systems and data. Our analysis shows that this is typically caused by:
Dormant accounts
Old or unused accounts often remain active with valid credentials, giving attackers an easy, low‑visibility entry point into the environment.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) gaps
Incomplete MFA rollout or exceptions for certain users or systems create exploitable windows where attackers can bypass authentication controls.
Privileges misuse
Over‑privileged accounts or poorly monitored admin rights allow attackers to escalate access quickly once they breach a single identity.
Where Most Organisations Are Blind
Devices missing EDR
Devices without Endpoint Detection & Response tooling become blind spots where malware, lateral movement, and credential theft can occur unnoticed.
Unmonitored cloud workloads
Workloads running in cloud environments without appropriate logging or proper security monitoring provide attackers an ideal place to persist and operate undetected.
Security logs kept for less than 30 days
Short log retention limits the ability to investigate incidents, correlate suspicious activity, or identify slow‑moving or long‑dwell‑time attackers.
Alert fatigue
Security teams overwhelmed with high alert volumes (low priority or false positives) often miss critical signals because the noise drowns out the events that actually matter.
Unpatched returning devices
Outdated devices brought back into the network after being offline frequently reintroduce known vulnerabilities that attackers can quickly and easily exploit.
What “Good” Looks Like
By establishing these core security foundations across your organisation, you can significantly reduce security gaps and eliminate easy attack paths. This allows you to respond to threats with confidence and better protect both your business and your customers.
Detect threats within 24 hours
100% Endpoint coverage
Enforce MFA everywhere
No dormant admin accounts
Fastest Ways To Reduce Detection Time
Fix your EDR coverage
Add 24×7 Managed SOC
Strengthen identity controls
Patch returning devices
Keep logs for at least 90+ days
Not sure where to start or feeling overwhelmed? AUCyber is here to help. Let us do the heavy lifting and we will get your defences back on track, fast.
*Disclaimer: Benchmarks are based on aggregated Australian incident response and SOC observations and should be used as comparative guidance, not guarantees.
