Cyber Security Brisbane

Cyber threats are not just a problem for huge corporations, but small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often fall prey to them as well. The fact that SMBs normally have fewer security measures in place only further worsens their vulnerability to cyber crime.

Common threats that cybersecurity companies deal with are:

• Malware: This may come in the form of viruses, spyware or other malicious files that are attached to incoming emails or links. With a simple click, malicious software is installed on your PC, usually unbeknown to a user until when issues start arising soon after, which may be critical to the operation of the system or network. There are many types of malware used, and they may be used to access sensitive data or shut down an entire network.
• Ransomware: This is a specific type of malware that can be attached to emails or files, and is used to blackmail or extort a user into making payments. There may be threats of sharing data publicly, which can have a devastating effect on a business. In other cases, attackers threaten to delete company data, rendering their IT systems (and entire business) inoperable completely.
• Phishing: Phishing is a common form of social engineering, which can be done through many avenues, including social media, websites, emails, calls and texting. Usually, users are targeted, but sometimes phishing is broad and opportunistic. Either way, the intent is to gain information, and those responsible for them can be very convincing when it comes to gaining information.
• DDoS & DDoS Attacks: These attacks generally take down systems by utilising available server resources to overwhelm and break down a system. Denial of Service attacks mean that a system can no longer do what it is meant to do, which can shut down sites completely. These attacks can sometimes be an early step in larger attacks, creating gaps in security that can be targeted for other purposes.
• Spoofing: This is a way of rerouting traffic from a phone number or website address. DNS spoofing occurs when a cyber criminal redirects traffic via DNS settings (a type of website record), usually to cause reputational damage or financial gain, by accessing sensitive customer information.

We can provide complete vulnerability assessments for private and public sector organisations to ensure that your system has the right cyber security technology solutions in place.

There are many ways to ensure your business technology is strong enough to withstand most attacks. Whether you are using cloud solutions, on-premise IT, or a combination of both, it’s wise to have regular security assessments and penetration testing to ensure your information security is well managed.

We recommend using:

• MFA (Multi-factor authentication) across all of your company devices. This is an important part of your cyber strategy, ensuring that it is hard to gain access to your devices.
• Keeping your passwords and pins regularly updated is vital, as is ensuring they are not shared within organisations.
• Managing updates for software and cloud solutions seems like a simple thing, but many businesses delay doing so, which often leaves them open to cyber attacks.
• Having strong cyber security policies ensures that your team understand what is required of them, and have the information they need to protect your company data. Likewise, User Awareness Training, which we provide to many companies in Brisbane, gives your staff the skills to recognise risks and mitigate them.
• Encrypt sensitive data: This is a really important step when it comes to protecting your business and customers’ information. Both stored data and emails can be encrypted, enabling you to manage your company data securely.
• Utilise penetration testing, phishing simulations and strong threat-hunting technology solutions.

It’s never a pleasant surprise to discover that your computer has been hacked. We get calls from companies in Brisbane and Australia-wide, asking how to tell if their PC has been hacked.

One of the first indicators is that your system starts running really slow. This can be due to system performance issues but is often a sign that your computer has been hacked. If it starts happening right after downloading something or opening a link, this can often be the reason.

Another telltale sign is strange pop-up ads that didn’t use to. They may be from a software company or even appear to be from a cybersecurity solution provider, and may be a sign your system is infected with malicious software.

Something else to look out for is your webcam being in use, when you weren’t aware it had been. This can be checked in your settings, and generally will indicate what programs have recently accessed your webcam.

New programs being installed can also indicate malicious files are present on your PC. This can sometimes happen when you have downloaded a different program, and files have been attached to cause harm.

There are many other things to look out for, which cyber security companies have experience in dealing with. If you have any concerns in this area, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Even though phishing scams are becoming increasingly clever, there are still some common-sense guidelines that can prevent many incidences of phishing. It’s important that your team have this knowledge too, and every business needs to ensure this and take a security-first approach to protect themselves from phishing scams.

Phishing attacks generally come through emails or other links or attachments sent to a business email account. They may prompt the person to unknowingly provide access to a company account, or install malicious files onto an organisation’s system.

It’s important to be aware that these scams can look real. The best line of defence is to ensure all team members are trained to spot them and to report anything suspicious immediately. Using phishing simulation tools is also an excellent way to increase your team’s awareness of incoming phishing attempts. As your managed services provider, w can provide ongoing assistance in this area and get your staff up to speed.

Ransomware, as we touched on above, is a very common type of cyber security attack, generally targeting businesses or high-profile individuals for monetary gain or reputational damage. The results for a business of any size can be devastating.

Unfortunately, these attacks are not limited to large organisations, with small businesses frequently being targeted due to gaps in their security solutions.

Ransomware is simply a specific type of malware that is designed to lock your files from being used or onsell or share data publicly. Some recent Australian attacks have seen companies have their client and customer data shared across the dark web, which has created absolute havoc for hundreds of thousands of people who have had their identification and addresses shared publicly.

To keep your business safe, it’s essential to:

• Keep your systems and software up to date, at all times
• Train your staff to recognise incoming threats
• Ensure only the right people have access to specific sets of data within your company
• Backup! It sounds simple, but doing it properly makes a world of difference in the event you are hacked
• Use advanced security solutions, including firewalls, anti-malware, spam filters and anti-virus software
• Work with a trusted managed service provider to ensure that you have a business-specific approach to your company cyber security procedures
• Use a full range of security services and proactive threat-hunting solutions

Most of all, ensure that you manage each aspect of your technology and address any vulnerabilities.

Antivirus software is an essential part of your cyber security systems. There are many different levels of anti-virus software, and more frequently, we see anti-virus delivered as a subscription service or as part of managed cyber security services.

Antivirus programs are designed to detect incoming viruses, prevent infections from spreading through your computer, or remove them and ‘quarantine’ them to prevent infections from travelling further.

Viruses can cause your system to slow, and come in a multitude of forms, from Trojan horses to rootkits and spyware – not a very friendly bunch! A good anti-virus will frequently scan your system and pick up on changes that pose a threat, a bit like a security team would do – ensuring threats or anything suspicious is not allowed entry or removed as a priority if they manage to sneak past the first line of defence.

We can provide sophisticated antivirus tools to protect your company from outside intrusions and a complete range of other cyber security solutions as your cyber service providers.