BLOG | 6 Free Cybersecurity Improvements for Tasmanian Small Businesses and Not-for-Profits

For small businesses and not-for-profit organizations across Tasmania, cybersecurity can feel costly or complicated. Many of the biggest risks come from simple security practices that have been missed, delayed or applied inconsistently.

Here are six practical improvements your organization can make this week to reduce cyber risk without increasing your budget.

1. Turn on multi-factor authentication

If you have not enabled multi-factor authentication (MFA), make it your first priority. MFA asks users to verify their identity in more than one way before accessing an account. This may be a code from an authentication app or SMS, a security key, or a fingerprint or face scan.

If an attacker steals or guesses a password, MFA provides another barrier. This simple step can help protect customers, donors, volunteers and financial information.

Enable MFA first for:

·         Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace

·         Banking, payroll and accounting applications

·         Cloud storage and shared files

·         Remote access and VPN accounts

·         Customer, donor, member and volunteer management systems

Most platforms include MFA at no extra cost. Turning it on closes one of the easiest gaps attackers can exploit.

2. Remove accounts not in use

Accounts belonging to former employees, volunteers, committee members, temporary contractors or service providers can remain active long after they are needed. In a small team, these accounts are easy to overlook and may give attackers another way into your systems.

Review your user accounts and ask:

·         Does this person still work or volunteer with us?

·         Does this account still serve a business or community purpose?

·         Does the account need its current level of access?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, adjust permissions or remove the account.

3. Stop giving everyone administrator access

Administrator accounts have broad control over your systems. They can install software, change settings and disable security protections. In a small organization, it can be tempting to give everyone admin access for convenience, but this increases the damage a compromised account can cause.

Take stock of access across your business and ask:

·         Does this person need administrator access to do their job?

·         Would a standard user or lower access level be enough?

·         Are administrator accounts protected with MFA and used only when required?

Remove administrator privileges where they are not required. Giving staff and volunteers only the access they need helps limit the impact of a compromised account.

4. Turn on automatic updates

Attackers often target software with known vulnerabilities. Updates help close those gaps and are especially important when a small team does not have dedicated IT staff monitoring every device.

Check that automatic updates are enabled for:

·         Windows and macOS

·         Phones and tablets

·         Web browsers

·         Microsoft Office

·         Antivirus software

·         Key business applications

Keeping systems up to date closes known gaps before attackers can exploit them.

5. Start using a password manager

Strong passwords matter, but expecting staff and volunteers to remember a complex, unique password for every account is not realistic.

A password manager helps users:

·         Create strong, unique passwords

·         Store them securely

·         Avoid password reuse

·         Share access safely without sending passwords by email or message

The fewer passwords your team has to remember, the less likely they are to reuse weak ones or store them insecurely.

6. Confirm your backups work

Having backups is not enough. You need to know you can restore important files, customer records, financial data and program information when something goes wrong. This is particularly important for Tasmanian organizations that may rely on cloud services or support delivered from outside their region.

Check your backups and ask:

·         When did our last successful backup run?

·         Has anyone tested a restore recently?

·         How long could we keep operating if our systems were unavailable?

A backup protects your organization only if it works when you need it.

Small changes can make a big difference

Cybersecurity does not have to begin with a major investment or a large internal IT team. It starts with closing the everyday gaps that create unnecessary risk.

These six steps can reduce common risks without adding significant cost, making them practical for Tasmanian small businesses, community groups and not-for-profit organizations.

What matters is putting these measures into practice and keeping them in place. We can help you create a focused, affordable action plan that suits your people, systems, budget and level of risk.

ACTION Item(s)

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