Don't leave your business home alone this Christmas

December 12, 2023:  Australian small businesses managing festive season trading spikes or holiday staffing shortages are now able to gain easy, practical help from the Cyber Wardens program to fortify their businesses against opportunistic cybercriminals.

The free, Australian Government-funded program — officially launched today — provides training to small business owners and employees on how to digitally safeguard their businesses.

This includes essential upskilling on the fundamentals of multi-factor authentication, password management, device updates and backups.

This initiative, funded by the federal government, arose from a collaboration between Telstra, the CommonwealthBank and leading small business advocacy body, the Council of SmallBusiness Organisations Australia (COSBOA).

Recognising the critical importance of cyber safety in the small business sector, this partnership has created Australia’s first-ever cyber safety workplace certification program.

The Cyber Wardens program marked its official kickoff by launching a Christmas Guide with advice for retailers over the festive season, such as how to avoid festive fakes — including scam customer complaints, invoices, refund requests, links and tech support.

Cybercriminals are known to launch extra scams during the holidays, hoping small businesses might be too busy to spot them.

You can download the guide here.

The Minister for Small Business, Julie Collins, today visited The Project Lab in Hobart to mark the official launch of the Cyber Wardens program, recognising the commencement of the Small Business Cyber Wardens grant on 6 November 2023.

Read more about the minister’s visit here.

Media enquiries: media@cyberwardens.com.au, 0466 027 957