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ASX 200 Companies Boost Cybersecurity, But Microsoft Exchange Patches Lag

ASX 200 companies have made great strides in bolstering their cybersecurity. But with only four out of 42 Microsoft Exchange server operators up-to-date, prompt action is needed to address this pressing issue.

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This picture is clicked inside the room. In this picture, we see a table on which laptop, speaker, monitor, keyboard, ball, mouse, scanner and papers are placed. In the left bottom of the picture, we see a table on which electronic goods are placed. Behind that, we see a wall on which charts and posters are pasted.

ASX 200 Companies Boost Cybersecurity, But Microsoft Exchange Patches Lag

ASX 200 companies have shown a commendable improvement in their cybersecurity posture, with a significant reduction in risky internet exposure and increased adoption of security measures like DNSSEC. However, some areas still require attention, particularly the patching of Microsoft Exchange servers.

In 2025, ASX 200 companies have measurably enhanced their security posture since 2021. Despite financial services, healthcare, and IT having low relative exposure of risky ports, industrial companies have an average of 33 exposed high-risk ports per company, largely due to SSH and RDP exposure. The ASX 200 industrial sector leads in exposing risky services to the internet.

Notably, only nine companies have implemented DNSSEC, a significant improvement from 2020 when none had done so. ASX 200 companies favor Apache and Nginx for web servers, but Nginx has more unsupported versions deployed on the internet. Despite this, ASX 200 companies have a respectable security posture, on par with global counterparts in the FTSE 350 and the Fortune 500.

However, there are concerns regarding Microsoft Exchange server patches. Only four out of 42 organisations running Microsoft 365 on-premises have applied the most recent, relevant patches. This is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed promptly.

While ASX 200 companies have made great strides in improving their cybersecurity, there are still areas that require immediate attention. The exposure of high-risk ports and the lack of up-to-date Microsoft 365 server patches are significant concerns that need to be addressed urgently to ensure the security of these companies and their customers.

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