Understanding the Cybersecurity Threat in Australia – And How to Stop It
The first key to stopping a threat or problem lies in fully understanding it. Invotec strives daily to keep vigilance where the cybersecurity threat in Australia is concerned – and leverage our research on the problem into developing better modalities of delivering our valued clients the most well-armed cybersecurity services possible.
To that end, we’ve provided reports on the state of the cybersecurity threat in Australia, care of two recent articles on the matter, with some of our own commentary and calls to action thrown in.
Excerpts from AISA NSW Chapter Meeting with Eugene Kaspersky
Presenting at AISA NSW Chapter’s May member meeting, held in the aloft George Street offices of Ernst & Young, overlooking Circular Quay, Eugene Kaspersky, visiting Sydney for just a few days, gave an entertaining, upfront account of what we can expect in the cybersecurity future, based on cyber attacks of the recent past.
“All operating systems are under attack with malicious files”, confirmed Kaspersky, referring to the Kaspersky Lab malware database, as of May 2017. Malicious code unique to each OS, includes Windows, being the highest at 474 million; Android at 23 million; Mac at 53,000; and Linux at 33,000, but which are set to grow substantially with the continued deployment of IoT devices, being predominantly Linux based and iOS at just 600. According to Kaspersky, it is mostly state-sponsored actors behind iOS attacks and related malware.
“We count the malware in the hundreds of millions and every day we collect and download 300,000 new unique malicious script attacks.” Kaspersky said, “Application scripts, office files, every day. Being in Sydney for three days, in my time here we will see one million new, unique pieces of malware. The good news is we do it mostly automatically. Many cybersecurity companies now automate their response and cybercriminals are also doing the same – it’s like a cyber-robotic war. Interestingly, we see it slow down during weekends, Chinese New Year, Russian New Year and during Eastern European football matches – cybercriminals are human as well!”
(Source: Australian Cyber Security Magazine)
Understanding Australia’s Cybercrime Threat Landscape
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) Cybercrime Intelligence Manager, Ms. Charlotte Wood, gave a presentation [March 15, 2017] at the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) 2017 Conference.
Ms. Wood spoke to attendees about the cybercrime threat landscape in Australia.
The ACIC actively works to disrupt cybercriminals who try to make a profit from everyday Australians’ lack of proper cybersecurity. The estimated cost of cybercrime to Australia in the 2013–14 financial year was $1.1 billion.
Ms. Wood defined cybercrime as an intrusion on a computer, system or network for a financial motivation.
“The ACIC’s role in combating cybercrime is to discover and prioritise, understand the criminal networks, and enhance response strategies by working closely with partners,” said Ms. Wood.
“These partners include other law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community, both domestically and internationally.”
Ms. Wood highlighted that the cybercrime impacting Australia continues to originate offshore. She gave examples of recent malware and ransomware incidents to demonstrate the impact that cybercrime is having on our community, economy, and national security.
Ms. Wood also examined business email compromise, which is being quantified for the first time in Australia through the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN).
The ACORN allows the public to easily report instances of cybercrime and provides advice to help people recognise and avoid common types of cybercrime.
“The most common method of business email compromise is imitating or compromising a company executive’s email, and requesting an urgent funds transfer,” Ms. Wood explained.
“Reports of business email compromise in Australia have increased since the inception of ACORN in late 2014.
“There were 749 cases reported in the 2015–16 financial year and 243 reported cases within the first quarter of 2016–17.”
Ms. Wood explained that cybercrime exploits the ability to operate internationally, as countering cyber threats requires the global collaboration of private sector, law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The ACIC exchanges information and intelligence nationally and internationally to create a richer picture of current and emerging threats and risks.
More information about the ACSC Conference can be found online: https://acsc2017.com.au/.
Invotec is Leading the Charge Against the Cyber Security Threat in Australia
Obviously, cybercrime in Australia continues to be a clear and present danger. Therefore, you need robust cybersecurity services that keep up with threats as they arise. That’s where a partnership with the Invotec team comes in; we leverage our vast experience and powerful cybersecurity solutions to give you and your own team a safe online working environment.
Because the cybersecurity threat in Australia isn’t going to vanish on its own!
You need experienced, qualified IT professionals helping you.
Just think about what you could potentially lose in a cyber attack:
- Your company’s secrets.
- Your clients’ financial and purchase information.
- Your business reputation.
- Your business itself.
It’s all on the line. Even your future and the jobs of your employees!
So, how does the Invotec IT support team keep you and your employees safe from the cybersecurity threat in Australia while doing business online?
It all starts with a cyber-security assessment by our team. We’ll examine your entire IT environment for existing issues and potential vulnerabilities. Following the assessment, we’ll go about the process of bringing your computer-networked systems up to standard and addressing the problems that were identified in the assessment process.
From there, it’s all about proper system maintenance and monitoring. We’ll provide all the updates and keep all the patches patched. Then, we’ll use remote software to alert us of any anomalies that occur within your system and move immediately to investigate; and if necessary, remediate.
Need Better Methods of Beating the Cyber Security Threat in Australia?
Invotec is a leader among IT companies in Melbourne working for smaller business enterprises who want to optimize their IT-networking productivity and security strategies. Call us at 1300 468 683 or email us at [email protected] for more info on being able to greatly mitigate your cybersecurity threat in Australia!
