Reducing the risk of cyber crime
When you’re cyber safe, you’re free to do!
Let’s shed some light on a topic that’s recently made national news - cyber security. Prime Minister, Scott Morrison revealed a, “sophisticated state-based cyber attack” was targeting various sectors. These sectors included government, industry, political organisations, education, health, essential services and operators of other crucial infrastructure. This leads us to two important questions you should ask yourself if you’re a business owner, no matter what sector:
Do you have reliable tech support in the event your business was to encounter a cyber attack?
Do you know what a cyber attack refers to?
It’s ok if you don’t have an answer, let’s start with the basics. Cyber crime is any illegal activity directed at computers and information communications technology (ICTs) including intrusions of passwords and networks, identity theft and more. It costs Australian businesses up to $29 billion each year, a number we fear may only increase if complacency and lack of strategy continues.
The recent national news story on cyber attack tells us that it doesn’t matter what sector you’re in or the size of your business, no one is completely protected from cyber crime. We’re not here to concern anyone, but in the words of Morrison, “We raised this issue today not to raise concerns in the public's mind but to raise awareness in the public's mind.”
If you have concerns around cyber security in your business, we can implement strategies and software, help you avoid and solve cyber security issues should they arise, and ensure you’re aware of cyber security threats and what it means for you.
So what are the types of cyber crime and which attacks are most prominent in Australia?
According to a report by the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the top 5 cyber crimes targeting Australians between July and September in 2019 were:
Identity theft
Online fraud and shopping scams
Bulk extortion
Online romance scams
Wire fraud and business email compromise
How do I reduce the risk of cyber attack?
Australian Cyber Security Centre also outline a few ways to reduce your risk of being targeted such as excluding personal details in social media posts, taking precautions when receiving any requests for personal information or money, researching reviews on websites before making credit card payments or simply not allowing anyone access to your computer. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to use strong passwords online, not clicking on random links sent through to your email or on social media and ensuring your devices are updated regularly.
You don’t need to understand all the technical stuff behind cybersecurity, that’s where we come in. But regardless of this, it’s still important to have a clear understanding of the simple steps you can take to mitigate associated risks. Because when you’re cyber safe, you’re free to do!