Olive business
Cyber security is your business The COVID era has changed the way we work and do business, in particular the trend from physical to online sales. Our increasingly cyber-connected world has its benefits but creates additional concerns around data security, so we asked cyber-security expert Glenn Makowski to talk us through the most relevant risks and how to best protect yourself and your business. Glenn Makowski - Managing Director ANZ, UK & Ireland, CommuniCloud In this article I’m going to discuss what I feel are the important areas in cyber security for small and medium sized businesses in the coming months. A glossary of terms is included at the end.
Why does cyber security matter to me?
First of all, why does cyber security matter? In a business setting, where many activities are carried out online, it is really about the continued ability to trade. Imagine if you couldn’t access your bank account, accounting software, email, social media accounts, and website and e-commerce store? Or even worse, if someone else was actively using them? There is a real risk of losing money both through the direct actions of a hacker, such as the recent well-publicised incidents where false invoices are paid to incorrect bank accounts, or through the amount of time it takes to resolve issues, which is time you are not working on your business and may not be able to trade. In addition, if a hacker is impersonating you they can cause significant damage to your reputation and that of your business very quickly. Of Australian businesses that reported a security attack, 56% have experienced Business Email Compromise (BEC) on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis (Telstra Security Report, 2019). This can result in significant hardship, with the average loss being $30,000 (ACCC, 2018). You may feel that as a small business or an individual that you are not important enough to be targeted, but many of these attacks are automated, and they are just looking for an opportunity (much like a coronavirus!)
How do I know if I have been hacked?
I am often asked “How would I know if I’ve been hacked?”. Unfortunately, the answer is that often you do not, at least not immediately. Many hacks are designed to sit undetected in your system and spend time observing and gathering information. The average time between a hack and discovery is 185 days (Ponemon Institute, 2018). There may be some indicators, however, so be aware if your computer seems to be running slowly, if you suddenly run out of disk space, or if unexpected pop-ups or banners appear. Another indicator is if friends, family, or colleagues report receiving spam from your email, messaging, or social media accounts. Advanced forensic tools are available to determine the source and extent of a cyberattack, but these are most applicable in commercial settings. There are plenty of things that you can do to protect yourself, and you are likely to be doing at least some of these already. They do not have to cost money, but it is worth spending some time to make sure you have these in place.
Phishing
The main route where individuals are hacked is through a process called phishing. This can happen through phone, email, or messaging
Issue 118 • December 2020 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 43
