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6 Risks Your Business Probably Didn't Have at the Start of the Year

January feels like a long time ago.

Back then, the plans were fresh, budgets were set, and there was plenty of optimism about what the year would bring.

Since then, a lot may have changed. You've welcomed new staff or volunteers, introduced new technology, engaged new suppliers, expanded services, secured new funding, or changed the way your organisation operates.

The first half of the year moves quickly. When you're focused on serving customers, supporting your community, or delivering programs, it's easy for small IT risks to go unnoticed.

Consider this your midyear check-in — an honest look at six common risks that can emerge over time, along with a few questions to help you identify whether they might apply to your organisation.

1. You added people, but not everyone needs the same access

Every time someone joins your organisation, they need access to email, shared files, business applications, financial systems, and communication tools.

When things are busy, it's often quicker to provide broad access and sort it out later.

The challenge is that "later" rarely arrives. Over time, people can accumulate access to systems and information they no longer need, increasing security risks and making it harder to manage sensitive data.

Ask yourself: Who has access to what right now?

2. Someone left, but their access may still exist

When staff members, volunteers, contractors, or board members move on, the focus is usually on handovers, continuity, and keeping operations running smoothly.

What can be overlooked are the accounts, passwords, and system permissions they leave behind.

Without a clear offboarding process, old accounts can remain active long after someone has departed.

Ask yourself: Has all former staff, volunteer, contractor, and board member access been removed?

3. New tools were adopted without a security review

Someone discovers a tool that makes collaboration easier, improves reporting, simplifies fundraising, or helps manage projects.

It solves a problem quickly, so the team starts using it.

What often gets missed are questions such as where the data is stored, what other systems the tool can access, and whether it meets your organisation's privacy and security requirements.

Ask yourself: Do you know where your organisation's data lives and who can access it?

4. You have backups, but recovery hasn't been tested

Having backups is important. Knowing they can be restored successfully is even more important.

Many organisations assume their backups are working because no one has reported a problem. Yet as systems change, new applications are introduced, and more data is created, backup coverage can develop gaps.

Until recovery is tested, it's difficult to know how well you'd recover from an outage, cyber incident, or accidental deletion.

Ask yourself: When was the last time you tested restoring critical data?

5. You engaged a new supplier, but haven't reviewed the risks

Whether it's a software provider, managed service provider, consultant, or cloud platform, every supplier that handles your information introduces some level of risk.

Most organisations focus on capability, service, and cost during procurement. Less attention is often given to what access the supplier receives and how they protect the data they can see.

Ask yourself: What access do your suppliers have, and how do they safeguard your information?

6. Small issues have quietly accumulated

Every organisation has an IT to-do list.

A shared folder structure that no longer makes sense. Old user accounts that haven't been reviewed. Security settings that were configured years ago and never revisited.

None of these issues seem urgent on their own. But after six months, a year, or longer, they can create unnecessary risk and complexity.

Ask yourself: What's been sitting on your IT backlog for months?

Now's a Good Time to Take a Closer Look

If several of these questions made you pause, you're not alone.

These are common challenges for small businesses and not-for-profits across Tasmania. They don't happen because people are careless. They happen because organisations are busy, resources are limited, and technology changes faster than most teams can keep up with.

The real risk isn't simply that these gaps exist. It's not knowing they're there.

The middle of the year is a natural opportunity to step back, review what has changed, and make sure your technology is still supporting your organisation effectively.

Most issues don't take long to identify. The challenge is finding the time to look.

Sometimes, a fresh perspective is all it takes to uncover what's been hiding in plain sight.

ACTION Item(s)

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