October – Cybersecurity Awareness Month

One of the main goals of Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October is to prevent unwanted unauthorised activities and cybercrimes. Microsoft Security has teamed up with the Australian Cyber Security Centre to empower individuals and organisations with educational content, helping to keep them safe both at work and at home.

Here are 4 quick steps that you can do to prevent cybercrime:

1. Use strong passwords.

2. Activate multi-factor authentication.

3. Recognise and report phishing.

4. Update your software.

2022 – the year to refresh your cybersecurity plan

As a result of the pandemic, technological advancements planned for years have materialised in months. Whilst these have had undoubted benefits, they’ve also increased our susceptibility to cyberattacks. As workers we are now often able to access data from wherever we are, using whatever device we have. Cyber criminals are able to leverage this, opening companies up to threats which were previously unconsidered.

Failure to adequately adapt devices and networks can pose a serious threat, instead of being a business driver. Cyber criminals have developed strategies where everything on a network can be attacked and taken over by hackers with bad intentions. This can have massive implications, ranging from data loss to the paralysis of an organisation’s operations, ultimately causing huge losses. Basic knowledge and being aware of the potential cyber risks are essential in the prevention of attacks.

The most common forms of cybercrime

Phishing is a common form of cybercriminal activity suffered by individuals and organisations. Phishing is a type of social engineering where an attacker sends a fraudulent (e.g., spoofed, fake, or otherwise deceptive) message designed to trick a person into revealing sensitive information to the attacker, or to deploy malicious software on the victim’s infrastructure.

Malware is another popular form of cybercrime, involving software similar to a virus that infiltrates your device and extracts sensitive information. To avoid a malware attack don’t open communications such as emails you are unsure of, and employ a range of different passwords across your accounts.

For individuals, the most common form of cybercrime are online shopping scams, which involve the misrepresentation of a product bought online. There are also ‘advance-fee fraud’ scams, in which criminals trick victims into paying an up-front fee for an investment that never takes place.

Remember if it’s too good to be true, it probably is!

There are still newer and more innovative methods of cybercrime emerging. Deepfake technology has posed threats which were previously non-existent. The potential to falsify documents including evidence and photos have created infinite risks for individuals and organisations.

Making it a safer world together

We’re helping people have a safer online experience against common online threats and cybercrime during Cyber Security Awareness Month in October.

We will highlight the importance of cybersecurity education for organisations and individuals. With more workers using personal and corporate digital devices interchangeably, it is even more important to be cyber aware. As new vulnerabilities arise, security for all becomes even more integral to organisational success.

Do Your Part #BeCyberSmart