Kroll, an independent provider of global financial and risk advisory solutions, has released its 2025 Global Business Sentiment Survey, revealing that Australian businesses are the least prepared in Asia-Pacific to navigate the escalating challenges of the second half of 2025, with cyber security, artificial intelligence and economic uncertainty dominating the landscape.
Only 28% of Australian respondents feel very prepared to face the growing complexity of business risks, placing them at the bottom of the regional ranking, tied with Japan and just ahead of India.
More than half (56%) of Australian businesses say they feel no better prepared than they were in 2024.
Seventy-six per cent of the survey respondents admitted that cybersecurity threats have escalated in 2024, and Australia reports the lowest confidence level in the region in addressing the impact of global privacy laws on business. Interestingly, Australia respondents who identified geopolitical tension as a significant business concern (32%) said that technology controls and/or cybercrime (potentially introduced by state-sponsored actors) were at the centre of their worries (42%).
“Australian businesses are being tested by a perfect storm of global uncertainly, including growing cyber threats and the rapid evolution of AI,” said Kroll Diligence and Compliance Managing Director Maurice Burke. “The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner reported 1113 data breaches in 2024. That’s a 25% increase from the year before. The reality is that every day, there are significant threats to the security of data that are not being effectively managed.”
“Bad actors and their toolkits continue to grow in sophistication; they’re leveraging AI and using better digital deception techniques,” he added. “Businesses and individuals need to defend themselves. Detection systems must improve; internal processes must be robust and clear; intelligence-driven risk assessments are critical.”
