October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, and as part of this years theme, “Do your Part. #BeCyberSmart” we urge all Australian businesses to review their baseline cyber security practices and ‘do their part’ in protecting sensitive business data and customer information.
Assistant Minister for Defence, Andrew Hastie, released a statement on 5 October 2021, also encouraging Australians to take precautions against common cyber security threats as part of Cyber Security Awareness Month.
“Unfortunately, no one is safe from cybercriminals – the Australian Cyber Security Centre continues to receive reports of senior Australians losing thousands of dollars through convincing and multi-layered scams where cybercriminals pose as trusted business representatives, intimate partners, or technical support.” Assistant Minister Hastie said.
“The Australian Cyber Security Centre’s (ACSC) latest Annual Cyber Threat Report shows that malicious cyber actors and criminals are becoming increasingly innovative and active in targeting Australians online.”
A matter of 'when' not 'if'
Assistant Minister Hastie went on to explain that no one is safe from cyber threats, with cyber criminals “constantly on the hunt for poorly-secured devices and accounts to exploit, including for major attacks such as identify theft, ransomware, and business email compromise.”
“The good news is that Australians can stop many potential online attacks and keep hackers at bay by taking a few simple steps,” he said.
“The critical first steps are:
- Turning on automatic software updates,
- Activating multi-factor authentication,
- Regularly backing up devices,
- Using passphrases,
- Securing mobile devices, and
- Watching out for cyber scams.”
Off the back of the advice from the Assistant Minister for Defence, how can Australian businesses ensure that all employees are keeping watch for cyber threats?
It all starts with cyber security awareness education and training.
What is Cyber Security Awareness Training?
The purpose of Cyber Security Awareness Training is to educate staff about cyber threats and attacks they may be subjected to each day. Training for all levels of users in your organisation raises people’s vigilance on what to look for to spot a cyber security threat, as well as having the skills to safely take the appropriate action required if they do receive a malicious attempt.
Cyber Security Training for all levels of employees (your human firewall) is every bit as important as the other means of protection, including software, hardware and physical security practices.
How does Cyber Security Awareness Training protect your business?
Cyber Security Awareness Training ensures you and your employees:
- Are comprehensively aware of cyber threats, the associated risks, and how to minimise them.
- Understand the part everyone must play in protecting your organisation and client’s data.
- Can identify cyber threats and manage them appropriately.
- Understand how to handle personal information provided by clients and partners.
- Comply with the state and federal guidelines in regard to staff cyber and data protection awareness and education.
How can Diamond IT help your employees #BeCyberSmart
We work with you to ensure your staff are aware of the types of ever-evolving cyber threats and equip them with knowledge on how to minimise them. Our training provides a high level of cyber and data awareness and comprehension.
Our Business Technology Consulting team are specialists in improving your internal cyber security and are ready to speak with you. Contact our team on 1300 307 907 today.
