Is your business cyber secure?
Cybercrime is a serious threat to all businesses no matter how big or small. It’s important to ensure you have effective cyber security in place to protect your IT systems and networks, mobile devices and data.
The Australian Government has developed new Cyber Security Assessment Tool to check how cyber secure your business is and what you can do to make it more cyber secure.
The tool has been developed in recognition of the evolving cyber security threat landscape, and the need to support Australia’s small and medium business community with greater awareness of how to manage cyber risks in your business, and ensure you are protected from potential business losses.
The free Cyber Security Assessment Tool will help you:
- identify your business' cyber security strengths
- understand areas where your business can improve
- know how to improve your cyber security and where to find help.
Understanding the basics
There are some great cyber security resources available to help protect your business:
- The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) leads the Australian Government’s efforts to improve cyber security.
- See the Small Business Cyber Security Guide on the Australian Cyber Security Centre website.
- Find an Australian Small Business Advisory Services (ASBAS) provider for advice on a range of digital solutions including online security.
- Access the free cybersecurity toolkit provided by Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre and the Global Cyber Alliance.
Have you been hacked?
If you suspect your business has been the victim of cybercrime, it is important to know what the next steps are.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre have created a free online tool to support businesses in the event of a cyber attack. The Have you been hacked? tool provides you with advice and guidance on the steps to take.
You can also check whether your email or phone have been involved in a data breach by accessing the Have I been pwned? online tool.
Online scams can pretend to be from organisations, businesses or even individuals you trust to trick you into giving the scammers your money or your personal details to steal your identity.
Some common online scams to watch out for as a business include:
Tax time is a popular period for scammers to target businesses. Stay one step ahead by being aware of these scams.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will not email you and ask for your bank details or tax file number (TFN).
Watch out for scams targeting small businesses. Read about common scamming methods on the ATO website.
If you get an email, call or SMS from the ATO that asks for personal information or offers a tax refund, report to the ATO and Scamwatch.
This involves scammers pretending to be legitimate suppliers advising you about changes to payment details. You may not realise until your business receives complaints from suppliers that your payments didn’t occur.
Be aware of potential scamming and have checks in place to ensure you pay the right suppliers. Before paying, ensure the supplier verifies all major invoices using contact details you already have on record.
Report a cybercrime
If you have been the victim of a cybercrime, incident or vulnerability, you can report it to the Australian Cyber Security Centre via the ReportCyber online platform.
You can report:
- Cyber abuse
- Online fraud
- Online image abuse
- Identity theft
- Cyber security incidents
- Ransomware or malware
Some of these cybercrimes may constitute an offence under Commonwealth and/or state and territory legislation.