Security

How to protect your business from ransomware attacks.

Do we always know when companies collect personal information about us? When we choose to provide personal information, do we know how it will be used and stored? Often we do not. The scale of the problem of improper data collection was illustrated by recent revelations that Cambridge Analytica, a research and marketing firm, likely […]

The ACCC is warning investors to be wary of scammers after its 9thannual ‘Targeting scams report’ revealed that Investment scams had increased by more than 8 per cent, costing Australians $64 million in 2017. This week marks Scams Awareness Week 2018 and ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard warns that ‘some scams are becoming very sophisticated […]

Cryptojacking – where cybercriminals hijack CPU power and electricity from unsuspecting computer users to mine cryptocurrencies – can cripple a company’s network, increasing their costs and reducing productivity, warns Fernando Serto, Head of Security Technology and Strategy at Akamai Technologies (APAC). “The idea behind crypto mining on end user devices was originally conceived as a […]

Amid a flurry of high-profile attacks and the tightening of privacy regulations, organisations are increasingly seeking ways to minimise the risk of suffering a data breach. Personal details of customers, credit card numbers and corporate financial records – are all eagerly sought by cyber criminals. In an increasingly digital business environment, keeping such data safe […]

Today, IT teams are finding it more challenging than ever to protect critical business data. This is because more data resides in more places, from tablets and mobile phones to notebooks, USB, and cloud storage. As the digital innovation evolves, unfortunately, so do the threat of cyberattacks and other dangerous risks to your company’s valuable […]

“There are only two types of companies: Those that have been hacked and those that will be hacked.” – Robert S. Mueller, III, former Director of the FBI and now Special Counsel into the Russian interference of the USA election, made this famous quote. But almost by the time he made it, it was out of […]

One of the unavoidable realities of doing business today is the pervasiveness of cyberattacks, which are a major threat to the security and safety of company data. In fact, the Federal Government estimates that Australian businesses lose a whopping $1 billion to cybercrime each year – a cost that is expected to rise exponentially [1]. […]

There’s no argument about it. Cyber security is tough for small and medium sized businesses. Most SMBs don’t have a dedicated IT staff member, meaning it falls on the owner or manager to be on top of computer security matters. One of the key milestones in cyber security is the upcoming data breach laws in […]

The NSW Government is investing $2 million in a university-led cyber security network, with the aim being to protect the public sector and industry against cyberattacks. Announced by Minister for Finance, Victor Dominello, the NSW Cyber Security Council will bring together leading scientists and engineers from seven of the state’s universities to: harness the expertise […]

The deadline has been known for more than two years, yet many Australian organisations are still woefully unprepared for new data breach regulations that come into effect next month. From Thursday, 22 February,  the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme (NDB) will require all organisations that are covered by the Australian Privacy Act to notify individuals whose […]

With just over three weeks until mandatory data breach reporting laws come into effect, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO), Kate Carnell, has urged small businesses to ensure they are prepared as a matter of urgency.   From 22 February, organisations with personal information security obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 will be […]

Consumers have become increasingly comfortable with providing personal data to brands in order to receive a personalised experience and seamless customer journey. However, recent news that Uber concealed a data breach affecting 57 million users and drivers for a year, demonstrates the rapid mistrust a brand can generate when it doesn’t adequately protect this data, […]

They’re often portrayed as socially isolated, disaffected young men tapping keyboards in darkened basements. Motivated by the promise of global notoriety, they spend hours trawling for IT security weaknesses trying to cause disruption and destruction. The reality of hackers today is somewhat different. Often highly educated, many work in loosely connected groups that share knowledge […]

Since the internet revolution, the way we do business has changed beyond recognition. Now we are less likely to have direct contact with clients and customers and face-to-face confirmation that they are who they say they are is no longer an option. This has led to a significant rise in internet fraud, which costs businesses […]

The popular stereotype of a cyber hacker tends to be a young, highly skilled person sitting in a darkened room surrounded by sophisticated computer equipment. It’s an image honed by Hollywood and often supported by mainstream media. However, increasingly, this is not the case. Hackers can be young or old, male or female, and belong […]

Serious weaknesses in the security protocol used for all modern protected Wi-Fi networks, both personal and enterprise, have been exposed by a Belgian researcher who warns cyber attackers can gain access to and manipulate sensitive data or even inject malware into a network.      According to Mathy Vanhoef, a doctoral researcher in computer security from […]

Australian businesses will benefit from increased cyber security through the implementation of a new industry-led cyber security Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), which will receive $50 million in government funding over the next seven years. The funding will leverage more than $89 million from the 25 industry, research and government partners. Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation […]

In cyber security, the “Insider Threat” refers to potential actions taken by people within an organisation that can cause harm, as opposed to hackers attacking from the outside. Sometimes an insider takes actions maliciously with intent to steal data or cause damage. In other cases, the insider takes actions accidentally by clicking a link or […]

How well does your company communicate internally? Specifically, how well do your IT departments communicate with each other?  Enterprises typically contain four or more IT sub departments (Security, Network Operations, Virtual DC, Capacity Planning, Service Desk, Compliance, etc.) and it’s quite common for them to be at odds with each other, even in good times. […]