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Be Cyber Aware
Cyber Security for businesses involves protecting technology, systems, data and information.
Ensuring good cyber security also maintains your business reputation and trust with customers.
You need to protect any digital information that your business collects from cybercrime.
There are laws and regulations regarding data management and protection. Make sure you understand your legal duties for storing and safeguarding private information and make sure you take active steps to protect any digital information that your business collects.
Check the Privacy Act against your business:
Small Business Cyber Resilience Service
Free for Australian business to access person-to-person support to increase their cyber resilience or recover from a cyber incident.
Go to resources for business
Find further information, tools and supports through the Australian Government Small Business resources.
Definitions to help understanding cyber security and threats
Phishing
A type of cyber-attack where attackers pose as legitimate people or entities (such as a bank), and try to trick people into revealing sensitive information that they can use, like passwords, bank details, credit card numbers or personal identification. This can also be referred to as social engineering, where someone uses manipulation to get another person to divulge personal information or provide access to a device.
Phishing scams often come through emails or messages, leading to data theft or unauthorised access to accounts.
Malicious Software (Malware)
Malware is harmful software that can damage your systems, steal data, or spy on your activities. It can come from downloading a bad file or clicking a dangerous link.
Malware can slow down your systems, steal sensitive data, or even take control of your computers without you knowing.
Ransomware
This type of attack locks your files or systems, and the attackers demand money (a ransom) to unlock them.
If you don’t have a backup of your files, ransomware can hold your entire business hostage, forcing you to pay to get your data back.
Unpatched Software
Not updating your software regularly leaves vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to gain access to your systems.
Unpatched systems can be easy targets for cyberattacks, allowing hackers to bypass your security.
Regularly assess your cyber security
Every business is at risk of cyber threats, regardless of size or industry. Cybercriminals often target vulnerabilities to steal data, disrupt operations, or cause financial harm, making cybersecurity essential for protection.
To protect your business from cyber dangers, it's important to regularly assess your cybersecurity. Using a cybersecurity assessment tool can help identify weaknesses in your systems and processes, allowing you to fix a weakness before attackers can exploit them.
Use the cyber health check assessment tool:
Quick wins for cyber security
- Use Strong Passwords: Ensure your staff uses passwords that are hard to guess and update them regularly.
- Keep Software Updated: Always install the latest updates for your systems and software to protect against new threats.
- Train Your Team: Teach employees to spot phishing emails and suspicious links. The more aware they are, the safer your business will be. Put in place systems such as verifying bank details of other businesses if you are transferring money or receiving emailed invoices.
- Back Up Your Data: Regularly back up important files so you can recover them if something goes wrong.
- Use Security Tools: Set up firewalls, antivirus software, and encryption to help block threats before they cause damage.
- Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA strengthens your business's security by requiring verifying identity in multiple ways, making it much harder for unauthorised users to access sensitive systems. Without MFA, if a hacker gets a password, they can easily access your business's data and systems.
