Importance of Cyber Security Protection for Australian Businesses

cyber security protection

Cybercrime is a very real threat to every Australian business. No business, however large or small, is exempt from becoming a target – in fact, over half of small to medium-sized businesses experience a cyber attack. Cybercrime can:

  • Cause financial loss
  • Disrupt business efficiency and cause serious downtime
  • Damage your reputation
  • Involve irreversible breaches in confidentiality

Clients, competitors, and company personnel can all partake in cybercrime but it’s often initiated by one of the thousands of individuals and groups around the globe who are willing to steal information for profit. Your business needs cybersecurity protection now more than ever before.

Defining Cyber Crime

Cybercrime is the term used to describe any criminal acts committed using the internet and a computer system. Commonly, criminals will steal money, identities and confidential data. However, cybercrime is becoming increasingly more sophisticated, including:

  • Data and market manipulation
  • Infrastructure disruption
  • Espionage

Whatever market your business operates in, you can’t afford to ignore this threat. Your data should be secured against damage, both accidental and intentional, theft and prohibited access. Cyber security needs to be enforced within your business.

Data Commonly at Risk

No data is exempt from cyber attack. However, common targets include:

  • Customer details and personal information
  • Business plans
  • Intellectual property
  • Sensitive legal data
  • Design ideas
  • Financial records
  • Employee records
  • Marketing strategies

Cyber attacks range from emails containing viruses designed to infect your computer and harvest information to hackers finding their way into your systems. The average time it takes for a cyber attack to be detected is 205 days.

Is Cyber Crime a Serious Problem in Australia?

Absolutely. Just as global trade, online communication and the digital economy have benefited the Australian way of life, it makes every Australian business as vulnerable to cybercrime as anywhere else in the developed world. The problem is so prevalent that we now have resources like the Australian Cyber Crime Online Reporting Network to assist Australian businesses and individuals.

How Cyber Security Helps Protect Your Business

Cyber security can range from simple measures to full-scale solutions.

The aim of cyber security is to:

  • Minimise downtime, should your systems be attacked
  • Minimise damage by reducing hacker access and repairing the system quickly
  • Protect your company’s reputation and the integrity of customers and personnel
  • Reduce business financial loss and resource costs when faced with disruption
  • Reduce the chance of hackers accessing sensitive data

What kind of steps can you take to protect yourself? Here are a few of the most important:

  • Back up data using portable and cloud storage & hosted solutions
  • Protect important data through encryption and passwords so content cannot be accessed if the hardware is stolen
  • Put security measures and policies in place
  • Protect your business systems and data with Sophos Intercept X.
  • Monitor personnel computer usage

Making Cyber Security a Priority

Every step you can take to protect your business against cybercrime can reduce the risk that you’ll experience irretrievable losses. However, when it comes to the protection of your business’s data, ‘not good enough’ can cost you your business.

Therefore, a comprehensive cyber solution is essential, one that is routinely assessed and tested for vulnerabilities to ensure your business is always secure. Expect features such as:

  • Risk-based testing
  • Automated applications
  • Change management, monitoring any changes to the operating environment and how this affects your cyber security
  • Sophisticated encryption

How MSS IT Can Help

We pride ourselves in offering creative and cutting-edge solutions without the need for high initial capital expenditure from you. Our complete IT managed service solutions are bespoke and tailored to suit your individual business needs. Our expert assistance includes:

  • Full support from a dedicated team
  • Perth’s leading server team supporting your server platforms and network
  • Onsite, remote and cloud solutions
  • A full package of audit, design, architecture, installation and implementation

If you want to improve your cyber protection and reduce the cost of cybercrime to your business, contact the professional team at MSS IT on 1300 677 448 today.