SecurityHQ and Data#3 unite to strengthen cyber defences in Australia
SecurityHQ, a global leader in managed cyber security services, and Data#3, Australia's renowned IT solutions provider, have united to strengthen Australian organisation's cyber defence through a strategic partnership with the launch of their Brisbane SOC (Security Operations Center)
During a recent five-part video series titled Security Minutes, Feras Tappuni, CEO of SecurityHQ, and Richard Dornhart, Data#3's National Security Practice Manager, explored the companies' shared vision and their combined strengths in Australia's cyber security landscape.
"The flexibility that SecurityHQ brings to the relationship is so important," said Dornhart, acknowledging SecurityHQ's tailored solutions to meet the unique and evolving needs of Australian customers.
Dornhart highlighted that this flexibility was instrumental as they expanded their joint offerings. Tappuni agreed, sharing that both companies were driven by a shared customer-first approach.
"When we started back in 2019, it was really clear that SecurityHQ and Data#3 had the same culture, which is customer-first," he recalled, reflecting on their collaborative journey. This synergy of purpose was at the heart of Data#3 and SecurityHQ's recent investment in Australia, with the opening of a new Security Operations Centre (SOC) in Brisbane.
Australia's cyber security landscape faces unique local challenges.
"Governments are getting really serious about where data is kept and… organisations must take responsibility," Tappuni said of the global trend for more stringent regulatory pressures.
The SOC aims to alleviate some of these customer challenges by providing organisations with local, real-time monitoring and protection services in a highly secure environment adapted to Australian needs.
Flexible service delivery was at the core of SecurityHQ's strategy, particularly as businesses increasingly adopted hybrid or cloud-based environments. Tappuni explained that this was essential in a fast-changing field.
"The flexibility has to be there because the customers' environment is changing so quickly," he said, noting that solutions needed to be customisable to meet complex requirements.
"What cloud, partial cloud, on-prem… we've got to be ready to be flexible for our customers," he added.
These adaptive measures positioned SecurityHQ and Data#3 to provide more resilient security services that aligned with Australia's regulatory and operational landscape.
Beyond the SOC launch, the partnership's strength was reflected in successful projects across a variety of industries, each with distinct cyber security demands. Dornhart underscored the companies' commitment to catering to Australia's diverse industry sectors, mentioning several prominent clients.
"Whether it's Mercy Care, Melbourne Racing Club, or The Reserve Bank of Fiji… SecurityHQ and Data#3 brings the right security team," he said of the team's tailored approach. This diversity in clientele demonstrated SecurityHQ and Data#3's adaption to industries with specific and critical security concerns, from financial institutions to healthcare.
SecurityHQ's innovations also contributed to the partnership's success. In response to client needs for clearer prioritisation and efficient risk management, SecurityHQ developed a response app, which became central to its service offering.
"What happens if we were to risk-score every single ticket?" Tappuni asked, describing how the app assessed alerts according to the globally recognised MITRE ATT&CK framework. This risk-scoring capability allowed clients to gain immediate insights into their network's vulnerabilities to prioritise critical issues.
"Our customers came to us… saying, 'I need this organised better,'" Tappuni explained. The app also allowed customers to interact with SOC analysts and monitor incidents in real time, creating transparency and control rarely seen in the industry.
Tappuni pointed out that AI also streamlined SecurityHQ's processes, particularly by automating handling of low-priority alerts, freeing analysts to focus on high-priority, complex threats.
"We always believe you need the people at the top end that will always be there," he said, reaffirming that AI's role was to support human expertise, not replace it.
This approach optimised security responses, so resources were allocated where they were most needed, enhancing human decision making.
"It is not there to replace your life," Tappuni added.
As discussion moved onto the future of cyber security, Tappuni and Dornhart considered the importance of flexibility and responsiveness.
"Our customers' environments are changing, whether they're going cloud-first, hybrid cloud… we have to be flexible," Tappuni noted.
The need for quick, effective detection and response remained central to cyber security as cyber threats became more sophisticated and clients' security needs diversified. Dornhart noted the importance of managing customers' long-term cyber security risk, adding that SecurityHQ's customer insights prioritised actionable intelligence over alert volume, helping clients focus on key issues without being overwhelmed.
"We're not there to send thousands of alerts… Just tell me what I need to do now," Dornhart explained.
In the series finale, Tappuni shared global insights, underscoring the unique advantages SecurityHQ gained from operating in diverse regions.
"When we see something for a customer here in Queensland… we'll know the methods, because we've seen it so many times before," he stated.
By applying global knowledge locally, SecurityHQ and Data#3 has offered clients a broader perspective on security trends and threat patterns. Dornhart celebrated the Brisbane SOC as a milestone that provided Australian clients with critical local resources, including data sovereignty and tailored security measures.
The Brisbane SOC represented not only an investment in local resources but also a commitment to advancing Australia's cyber security infrastructure.
"Watch this space," Tappuni concluded, hinting at more to come from their partnership.
