South Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can now access a free 45-minute consult with a local cybersecurity advisor.
To be delivered by the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre in partnership with the South Australian Government and AustCyber’s SA Node, the Cyber Clinics SA program aims to boost businesses’ cybersecurity awareness and risk-mitigation practices over the next two years.
AustCyber SA Node Manager and Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre interim CEO Paula Oliver said cyber maturity is an area of key national focus and investment. It comes in response to Australian Cyber Security Centre research showing a 13 per cent increase in the rate of cyber-attack from 2019/20 to 2020/21 financial years, now equating to one cybercrime report every eight minutes.
“We are seeing unprecedented growth in the threat level in recent times, and one of the most vulnerable groups is the SME community due to their limited resources and knowledge in this area,” Ms Oliver said.
“The risk is compounded when a business sits within the supply chains to large contractors, especially in critical sectors such as defence.
“The Cyber Clinics SA initiative aims to protect South Australia’s SME community by strengthening cyber knowledge and capability—connecting the state’s small businesses with the local cyber professionals and companies.
“We look to create a secure business community in SA, which can be trusted and more competitive in the global marketplace.”
A successful cyber-attack on a SME can cause major damage, including:
- Theft of business and customer information
- Theft of financial information including bank details
- Loss of money
- Disruption or cessation of trading
- Reputational damage which could have an impact on customers, sales and profits.
To learn more about the Cyber Clinics SA program, or to express your interest in participating, visit the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre website.
Program participants who require support beyond the initial consultation will be connected with a relevant South Australian cybersecurity business to access ongoing services.
