How to shop safely online
How to shop safely online Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest shopping events of the year, offering exciting discounts and deals across a wide range of products. While these sales can be a great opportunity to save money, it’s also an opportunity to fall victim to cybercrime. The increase in BYOD (bring your own device) and remote work arrangements have led to more and more employees using their own devices at work, giving potentially easy access for cybercriminals to the company networks. 1. Be phishing aware Are [...]
Why your web browser extensions could be posing a huge security risk
Why your web browser extensions could be posing a huge security risk Modern web browsers including Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple’s Safari allow us to access the estimated 1.13 billion websites that are available on the Internet. But these web browsers don’t always offer us all the functionality we might need or want. In this situation, many users will install what’s known as a web browser extension. These pieces of software provide additional or custom functions to your web browsing experience. You can download browser extensions that [...]
How to Communicate a Data Breach: A Guide for Businesses
How to Communicate a Data Breach: A Guide for Businesses In today’s digital world, data breaches have become an unfortunate reality for businesses of all sizes, and a single data breach could result in reputational damage, financial losses, and possibly even huge fines for your business. IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023 that has taken learnings from 550 organisations that were hit by a data breach indicates that the global average cost of a data breach in 2023 was USD $4.45 million – or AUD $6.93 million at [...]
Is ChatGPT safe to use?
Is ChatGPT safe to use? The rapid uptake of AI tools such as ChatGPT has been impressive, with some 100 million users on that platform alone worldwide. While the tools can be fantastic to use for many different applications – they also come with their risks. If you’re using ChatGPT within your business (or even your personal life!), there are a few things to be mindful of in terms of cybersecurity and your data. Think about what you’re sharing ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool that is driven by [...]
Are you Ransomware aware?
Are you Ransomware aware? Ransomware is a type of malicious software – often referred to as ‘malware’ – that is designed to deny access to your files or your computer system until a ransom is paid. While the rate of ransomware attacks declined in Australia in 2022, of the organisations surveyed the number was still as high as 70% reporting that they were a victim to ransomware (Source: Sophos State of Ransomware 2023). Because July is Ransomware Awareness month, we’ve put together a list of the most frequently asked questions [...]
Australia’s first Cyber Security Coordinator
Australia’s first Cyber Security Coordinator In news announced just last week, the Australian federal government has appointed our first ever Cyber Security Coordinator. This role has been put in place as part of the national effort to make our country the most cyber secure nation in the world. Who is the new Cyber Security Coordinator Air Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie AM CSC has been appointed as Australia’s inaugural Cyber Security Coordinator and will commence in the role from 3 July 2023. Goldie has been in the Royal Australian Air Force for [...]
What is a VPN and does my business need one?
What is a VPN and does my business need one? In today’s digital age, where data breaches and cyber threats are very common, protecting your business’ sensitive information and maintaining online security needs to be a top priority. One effective tool in helping to achieve this is a Virtual Private Network – commonly referred to as ‘VPN’. What is a VPN? A VPN, or virtual private network, is a technology that creates a secure and encrypted connection between a device (e.g. a laptop), and the server or service you are [...]
Understanding where your organisation’s data is stored
Understanding where your organisation’s data is stored In today’s digital age, the way we store and access data has undergone a significant transformation. Gone are the days of relying solely on on-premises systems and storage. The rise of cloud technology has revolutionised the way that organisations handle their data. However, it is crucial to understand where your organisation’s data is stored and who has access to it. What is “the cloud”, and who is protecting the data in it? The concept of “the cloud” refers to storing and accessing data [...]
How free public Wi-Fi is one of the major security risks in your organisation
How free public Wi-Fi is one of the major security risks in your organisation Public Wi-Fi networks are often seen in a really positive light – they’re convenient, they provide free access to the Internet, and they help people save on their mobile data usage. Many public places offer free Wi-Fi, including hotels, coffee shops, airports, and libraries, meaning there are plenty of opportunities for your staff to stay connected while on the go. But if your staff are using them without caution, they can pose a major security risk [...]
Introducing Copilot: Microsoft’s Revolutionary New AI Assistance for Microsoft Office Documents
Introducing Copilot: Microsoft's Revolutionary New AI Assistance for Microsoft Office Documents Microsoft has recently introduced a new AI-powered tool called Copilot, which is designed to assist users in working with Microsoft Office documents. This is a significant step forward in the world of AI assistance, and it promises to revolutionize the way people work with their digital documents. For those who are not tech-savvy, here is everything you need to know about Copilot. What is Copilot? Copilot is an AI-powered tool developed by Microsoft that helps users with their Microsoft [...]
Microsoft’s Integration of OpenAI’s DALL-E Image Creator Could Revolutionize Visual Content Creation for Businesses
Microsoft's Integration of OpenAI's DALL-E Image Creator Could Revolutionize Visual Content Creation for Businesses If you're not particularly tech-savvy, it's understandable if you feel a little intimidated by some of the new technologies that are being developed today. However, it's worth taking a closer look at some of these technologies, as they have the potential to revolutionize the way we work and live. One such technology that has recently made headlines is Microsoft OpenAI's DALL-E image creator. What is DALL-E? Essentially, it's an AI (artificial intelligence) program that can generate [...]
Defending Your Business Against Cyber Threats: Why Compliance with the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 is Critical
Defending Your Business Against Cyber Threats: Why Compliance with the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 is Critical Critical infrastructure plays a vital role in our society, providing the essential services that keep our communities functioning smoothly. From electricity to communications, data storage to financial services, critical infrastructure assets are the backbone of our economy and way of life. However, the interconnected and interdependent nature of critical infrastructure assets also means that their failure or disruption can have far-reaching consequences on the health, safety, and security of the public, as [...]
Secure Your Business with MFA: The Key to Protecting Your Company’s Data and Assets
Secure Your Business with MFA: The Key to Protecting Your Company's Data and Assets Why MFA is now a required process for personal and business use. MFA, or Multi-Factor Authentication, is a security process that is now required for both personal and business use due to the rise in cyber attacks and identity fraud. Cyber criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, making it more difficult to keep sensitive information secure with traditional password protection alone. With MFA, users are required to provide multiple forms of identification, such as a password and [...]
Getting tech fit – what your IT provider and personal trainer have in common
Getting tech fit - what your IT provider and personal trainer have in common If you've been thinking about getting a personal trainer to help you shed some kilos and hit those fitness goals this year, engaging an expert can be a great idea. But you should always ask this one thing: “What does 'fit' mean to you?” Is it strength, is it flexibility, is it weight loss? Because if your trainer’s plan involves deadlifts and mass calories and your goal was to drop two dress sizes, it’s going to [...]
Are you flexible workplace ready?
Are you flexible workplace ready? More and more workplaces offer flexible work arrangements to attract and keep sorely needed talent. No longer a nice-to-have, it has become essential to many future employees' requirements. Flexible hours in the office can increase job satisfaction and reduce stress, and with high petrol prices, your employees will save money on travel. But setting up for a flexible workforce isn't as simple as handing over laptops and mobiles to staff to work from home. You need to consider secure access, technological impacts on productivity, and [...]
3 tips to turn your IT from an annoying cost to a valuable investment
3 tips to turn your IT from an annoying cost to a valuable investment It's been a challenging year for business. No matter what industry you're in, operating expenses have gone up, overheads have increased, and it costs more just to open your doors. It's entirely reasonable to be looking at ways to streamline your budget in these economic times, and it's easy to think of IT as an essential but somewhat irritating expense. There’s a better way to approach your IT that turns it from an expense into an [...]
Are you ready for a breakup?
Are you ready for a breakup? How to tell your IT provider that you're moving on The day of love and relationships is treated in many different ways. Some go all out with the roses and candlelit dinners, while others barely notice its existence. But spare a thought for the disappointed – those whose partner didn’t meet their Valentine’s Day expectations. And while receiving a box of Celebrations instead of a designer watch might not be reason to re-evaluate your relationship, there is another relationship you might want to have [...]
Falling in Love with ChatGPT: Our New AI Valentine
Falling in Love with ChatGPT Our New AI Valentine Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate love, and this year, we've found a new love: ChatGPT. As technology continues to advance, we're falling more and more in love with this amazing AI language model every day. ChatGPT is always there for us, providing instant answers to all of our questions, 24/7. It's like having a knowledgeable friend always by our side. Whether we're searching for information about a topic we're curious about or just need a quick answer to a question, [...]
Society of Saint Hilarion
Aged Care Case Study Society of Saint Hilarion Creating connections Wi-Fi upgrade delivers quality living experiences for Saint Hilarion’s residents The Society of Saint Hilarion provides high-level residential and community care in South Australia’s Seaton and Fulham. In order to create a caring and home-like environment, Saint Hilarion rely heavily on their onsite technology. The challenge The Society of Saint Hilarion were undergoing several projects that would enhance the experience and safety of their residents: Point of care software: This would allow staff to cross-check a photo of each resident before [...]
‘Tis the season… for cyber attacks
‘Tis the season… for cyber attacks Did you know that the incidence of cyber security attacks rises significantly over the December/January holiday period? While you’re winding down, cyber criminals are often planning their surprise gift for you. With the current climate seeing hackers targeting businesses daily, you need to be aware of the dangers and have a proactive cyber security strategy if you don’t want a cyber-attack to be the Christmas gift that keeps on giving. How up to date is your cyber security strategy? If your answer is ‘not [...]
The Essential 8 Explained
The Essential 8 Explained If you're a business owner or IT Manager, you've probably heard of the Essential 8 Maturity model, and true to its name it’s essential you understand what it means for your business. Why do I need the Essential 8? The Essential 8 framework is designed to reduce the risk of cyber attacks. Whilst it doesn’t cover every element of cyber security, it encompasses many of the main strategies to protect your business and keep you up to date with developing threats in the cybersecurity landscape. The Essential [...]