24/7 Cyber Security Monitoring Perth
Real people watching your computers and Microsoft 365 email accounts around the clock, ready to stop an attack the moment it starts.
The Short Version
- A team of security analysts watches your business computers and email accounts 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
- Most attacks on small businesses start with one stolen password or one wrong click, and many happen overnight or on weekends when nobody is watching.
- When something looks wrong, the analysts can lock the account or cut the computer off from the network straight away, before the damage spreads.
- DM1 is told at the same time, contacts you, cleans up and gets you working again.
- It works on top of your Microsoft security. It does not replace it.
Why Microsoft Security on Its Own Is Not Enough
Microsoft 365 Business Premium gives your business strong protection, including multi factor sign in, Defender for your computers and email filtering. DM1 sets all of that up as standard.
What Microsoft does not do is decide what an alert means and act on it at two in the morning. In a small business nobody is watching the alerts overnight, on weekends or while everyone is flat out with customers.
That gap matters. Someone who steals a staff member’s password can sign in, quietly set up a rule that hides or forwards invoices, and wait for the right moment to send your customers a fake bill with new bank details. Ransomware can lock every file it can reach within hours. The sooner a real person spots it, the smaller the damage.
What Happens When Something Is Caught
Something unusual is spotted
For example a sign in from overseas, a new rule forwarding mail outside the business, or a program on a computer behaving like ransomware.
A security analyst checks it
A real person reviews it, day or night, and decides whether it is a genuine threat or a false alarm.
They act straight away
If it is real, they lock the account and end its sign ins, or isolate the computer from the network so the attack cannot spread to the rest of your business.
DM1 follows up with you
DM1 is told at the same time, contacts you, works out how it happened, cleans up and gets you working again.
You get a plain English explanation
You hear what happened, what was done about it and anything that should change, without the jargon.
What Is Monitored
- Every business computer, in the office or working from home
- Every Microsoft 365 email account
- Sign ins from unusual places or unknown devices
- New mail rules and forwarding that send mail outside the business
- Password and security setting changes
- Ransomware and other harmful programs
- Attempts by an intruder to stay hidden on a computer after breaking in
The analysts watch security activity such as sign ins and setting changes. They do not read your emails or open your files.
Why It Matters for Perth Small Businesses
The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is the federal government agency responsible for Australia’s cyber security. Its latest Annual Cyber Threat Report, covering the year to June 2026, found:
- More than 82,000 cybercrime reports in a single year
- An average cost of $55,400 for each cybercrime reported by a small business
- An average cost of $141,300 for a medium business
- Email compromise, online banking fraud and business email compromise fraud are the most common cybercrimes against businesses
Business email compromise is where an attacker gets into a real mailbox, reads along for a while, then sends a fake invoice or a change of bank details that looks completely genuine. Catching the sign in early is what stops it.
How It Fits With ASD Essentials and Your Security Review
ASD guidance is what insurers and contracts measure businesses against. On 15 October 2026 ASD published ASD Essentials, the successor to the Essential Eight, and the two run side by side for now.
DM1’s quarterly security review checks your Microsoft 365 setup against that guidance and tells you what to fix. Monitoring covers the time between reviews. The review makes sure the doors are locked, and monitoring watches who tries them.
Questions People Ask
Do we still need Microsoft security and antivirus?
Yes. Monitoring works on top of the protection already in Microsoft 365 and on your computers. It adds people who respond, it does not replace the tools.
Will it slow our computers down?
No. A small program runs quietly in the background and staff will not notice it in their day to day work.
Can the analysts read our emails or files?
No. They watch security activity such as sign ins, mail rules and changes to settings, not the content of your emails or documents.
What happens if they lock someone out by mistake?
DM1 is told straight away and can unlock the account once it is confirmed safe. A short interruption is far better than a stolen mailbox.
What does it cost?
It is priced per computer and per email account each month, so it grows with your business. Ask DM1 for a quote based on your numbers.
Do we need to be a DM1 client already?
Monitoring is set up and managed by DM1 alongside your managed IT support and Microsoft 365. If DM1 does not look after your IT yet, the usual starting point is a security review.
Related Reading
Essential Eight and ASD Essentials
What the ASD guidance asks of your business and how DM1 reviews it.
Find out more ›
Cyber Security Perth
The full security setup DM1 puts in place for Perth businesses.
Find out more ›
How Do I Know If My Business Has Been Hacked?
The warning signs to look for, and what they mean.
Find out more ›
What To Do If Your Business Has Been Hacked
The first steps to take if the worst happens.
Find out more ›
Written by Donald McGlinn, DM1 Business Technology Solutions, who has worked in technology since 1975. Last updated 10 November 2026. Figures from the Australian Signals Directorate Annual Cyber Threat Report.
Want Your Business Watched Around the Clock?
Ask DM1 for a quote based on the number of computers and email accounts in your business. The first conversation is always at no charge.
Or call (08) 6202 6012