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Tradies urged to be on guard against scammers after Total Tools data leak.

Small trade businesses must be on alert for cyber attacks and review their digital security measures after a data leak hit major Australian hardware chain Total Tools.

September 20, 2024:

COSBOA CEO Luke Achterstraat has warned businesses in the construction and trades industry of the threat of secondary attacks following revelations of a data leak which could affect more than 38,000 customers.

“It is critical for tradespeople and anyone in the construction industry with online hardware business accounts to be on heightened alert for suspicious activity in the coming hours, days and weeks, as cyber criminals try to use the stolen data for nefarious purposes,” he said.

“We are warning businesses to be aware of scams and secondary attacks and take steps to secure your sensitive data, finances and client information. Enrolling in the free Cyber Wardens program, supported by the Federal government, only takes two minutes to help every small business and their employees protect themselves from cyber attacks.”

Customer data including names, credit card details, email addresses, Total Tools passwords, mobile numbers and shipping addresses have been compromised in the leak.

“There are around 445 thousand businesses in building and construction, around 99 per cent of them are small businesses, and we know they face an outsized risk of cyber-attacks, ” said Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn. “The cost of a cyber-attack for a small business is just too high; none of us can afford to be complacent.

“The Cyber Wardens program has proven to be a very valuable tool for Master Builders Members. In the wake of this latest cyber breach, we strongly encourage small business owners to take advantage of the free course and resources on offer, to keep their business and employees safe.”

COSBOA and its member organisations, including Master Builders Association, the National Timber and Hardware Association, and the Master Grocers Association, are working together to alert small business owners and their employees to take immediate steps to protect their personal and business information.

The free Cyber Wardens eLearning program, funded by the Federal government, has been designed to help Australia’s 2.5 million small businesses fortify their digital doors against cyber crime.

Businesses concerned they have been targeted are urged to call the Australian Cyber Security Hotline on
1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371).