Darren Booth

Partner, Cyber Security & Resilience Services

Darren Booth is a Partner in the Security & Privacy division in Melbourne.

With more than 20 years of international experience, he advises government agencies, large corporate organisations and middle market businesses on cyber security, technology risk and governance.

Darren specialises in cyber security testing, security frameworks, governance and risk, System and Organisation Controls (SOC) reporting, and AI security. Having delivered engagements across Australia, the UK, Europe, Africa and the United States, he is recognised for translating complex technical risks into practical business advice that enables executives and boards to prioritise investment, strengthen resilience and make informed decisions about cyber risk.

"Cyber security is ultimately about helping organisations make better decisions. I focus on turning technical risks into practical actions that align with an organisation's objectives, resources and appetite for risk."

Darren led an assessment of the control environment supporting one of the Victorian Government's largest artificial intelligence implementations. The engagement evaluated how the AI solution was designed, approved, deployed, monitored and governed, providing assurance that information was being processed securely, responsibly and in line with regulatory expectations.

He also assessed the cyber control environment of a service provider supporting financial services organisations, mapping controls across the Essential Eight, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, the Consumer Data Right (CDR) requirements and SOC 2. By creating a single view of control effectiveness, the project reduced duplicated testing, streamlined assurance activities and improved the efficiency of ongoing compliance.

Another engagement involved working closely with the board of an organisation that was struggling to prioritise competing cyber security initiatives. Darren helped identify the areas of greatest risk, developed a practical multi-year cyber security strategy aligned with the organisation's resources and risk appetite, and provided leadership with a clear roadmap for improving cyber resilience over time.

Solutions Darren provides

• Cyber security maturity assessments
• IT security testing and assurance
• AI security and governance
• Security frameworks and compliance
• Cyber security strategy and roadmaps
• Governance, risk and controls
• System and Organisation Controls (SOC) reporting
• Third-party and cloud security assessments
• Board and executive cyber risk advisory

Darren lives in a small beach town on the Mornington Peninsula with his family and five children. While his own sporting days are behind him, he enjoys spending weekends supporting his children across tennis, basketball, netball, football, swimming, distance running, aerobics and dance.

ASSOCIATIONS

• Member, Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)
• Professional Member, Institute of Internal Auditors (PMIIA)

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master of Engineering and Management, University of Manchester
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)