Australian businesses are becoming more aware of the cyber security risks they face. Each attack is another wake up call about the ways cyber criminals are trying to unlock our digital front doors to access private information.
The Latitude Financial cyber attack
Recently, an attack on Latitude Financial left its almost 14 million customers open to having their personal details compromised. An employee’s details were used to hack the system, which proves once again that a major cyber attack can start with a single person being deceived into handing over their details to an online criminal.
Beyond the immediate fallout, there is potential for the number of people impacted by the Latitude Financial attack to get much bigger. Small businesses that have financed IT purchases, such as laptops and tablets, from major retailers may have a Latitude Financial account linked to that purchase, which increases their cyber risk profile.
If this could be you, make sure you check your financed products to see which organisation is responsible for the financial agreement.
The simple cyber security steps you can take
With more frequent attacks across businesses large and small, you might feel like a cyber attack impacting your business is inevitable. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Update your cyber security preparedness by taking these simple cyber security steps to significantly reduce the risks:
Always be alert
Taking steps to be cyber safe is the same as taking steps to keep yourself safe in the real world. Just like you would avoid walking down a dark alley at night, you should be careful of clicking on unknown links or opening emails from unknown sources.
Use strong and unique passwords
Yes, you’ve heard this one from us before but we’ll keep saying it. Your passwords should be complex, consisting of a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Avoid using the same password across multiple accounts.
Bulk up your security with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
It sounds complicated but you’re probably already using MFA, for example when you log into MyGov. MFA is simply a second type of authentication on top of your password. Look at all of your crucial logins, can you enable MFA and add a bouncer at the door of your online business?
Help - I’ve been hacked!
If you’re a victim of a cyber attack, you can act quickly to mitigate any losses you may be facing.
Lock it down
Change your passwords, freeze your cards and monitor your business activity closely for any suspicious activity.
Contact the company
Find out what exactly has been compromised.
Stay informed
Keep across developments and get more tips from the Australian Cyber Security Centre
Don’t leave your business open to a messy cyber attack – clean up your cyber floors with the right antivirus software to keep you and your team safe.
With Cyber Wardens, you can keep your digital floors clean and free of cyber criminals fishing.
