Michael Collins

The federal government is taking steps to create more robust legislation (Cyber Security Bill 2024) around data breaches and ransomware payments in an act put forward to parliament. The legislation has the view to work with industry in an attempt to reduce breaches and payments. While this appears like a great idea, one would hope that the Govt is getting strategic advice itself on how to use the data to build resilience and lower the threat to both Govt and business. #cyber #cybersecurity #ransomeware #technology #digital https://lnkd.in/g_sDZemA

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It’s standing room only !!! SMX – Email Cyber Security Specialists : Richard Gray from SMX Security Practice espousing our deep experience and knowledge of email security methodologies and strategies at OWASP New Zealand Chapter Enjoy the insights #owasp #cybersecurity #emailsecurity #nzbusiness

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The importance of a data governance strategy cannot be overstated - and the necessity for this to align with the cyber strategy is fundamental to ensure a solid cyber foundation is in place. If a cyber crisis hits, the need to understand what data is at risk must be addressed. #informationassets #datagovernance #cyber

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For many cybercriminals, attacking smaller businesses can still be highly lucrative. And here’s the reality: smaller attacks fly under the radar. #Cybersecurity #NZBusiness #CyberSecurityAwarenessMonth #SmallBusinessSecurity #MFA #PhishingProtection #Business #Whangarei #Northland #NewZealand #Auckland #COO #CFO #CEO #SiberGroup #PCTECHNZ

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In recent years, electronic mail has become an essential part of our daily lives. Many people use it for various purposes, including business transactions. A significant cyber threat facing businesses today is Business Email Compromise (BEC). Approximately 8 in 10 Australian organisations experienced a cyber incident BEC attacks were found to be the second most common attack method in Australia, witnessed in 45% of cyber incidents. How to Fight Business Email Compromise ·      Educate Employees ·      Enable Email Authentication ·      Deploy Payment Verification Processes ·      Check Financial Transactions ·      Establish a Response Plan ·      Use Anti-phishing Software Need Help with Email Security Solutions? Reach out to me directly here on LinkedIn for a comprehensive cybersecurity assessment

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To effectively safeguard against cyber threats, companies should adopt a multi-layered security approach, as advised by the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD). Key measures include: 1. Implementing the Essential Eight: These strategies are fundamental for mitigating cyber risk and include application whitelisting, patching applications, configuring Microsoft Office macro settings, user application hardening, restricting administrative privileges, patching operating systems, multi-factor authentication, and daily backups. 2. Regular Risk Assessments: Conduct continuous assessments to identify vulnerabilities and ensure that security measures are up-to-date and effective. 3. User Training and Awareness: Regularly educate employees on cybersecurity best practices and potential threats, such as phishing and social engineering attacks. 4. Incident Response Planning: Develop and routinely test an incident response plan to ensure quick and effective reactions to security breaches. 5. Network Segmentation: Segment networks to limit the spread of malware and restrict access to sensitive information. By integrating these practices, companies can build a robust cybersecurity posture that significantly reduces the risk of cyber attacks.

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It’s the NZ Internet Task Force (NZITF) conference in a couple of weeks. It’s 2 days of talks on cyber, hosted in Te Papa in Wellington on October 14th and 15th. If you can get tickets to at least one of the days, or at least to the networking event, do so – it’s worth your time. Last year, I enjoyed it enough that I decided to volunteer a talk on Day 1 of this year's conference. It’s a slightly different flavour to most cyber talks: I’m talking about the interaction between the cyber security profession and the current geopolitical landscape, and what it means for organisations in practical terms. If you hate me, there’s 2 days of other speakers. Come along – it’s got food, people and cyber. You must like at least two of those.

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ASIC isn't playing games, and it has extreme penalties for cyber breaches that could've been avoided. With more businesses being hacked weekly, it's critical to your business, reputation, and more to ensure your cybersecurity is up to par. Book in today for a complimentary audit, and let's lock down your systems.

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📃Standards Australia has released a groundbreaking white paper shedding light on ISO/IEC 42001:2023, popularly known as the AI Management System Standard (AIMSS). This insightful piece delves into the essence of AIMSS, exploring why it's imperative, who stands to benefit, and how Australian businesses are integrating it into their operations. Titled 'Guide for Australian Business - Understanding 42001', this thought-provoking paper articulates: ▪️The essence of AIMSS and its necessity in today's AI landscape ▪️Real-world examples of Australian businesses implementing AIMSS and reaping its benefits ▪️Practical avenues for accessing AIMSS training within Australia For organizations venturing into the realm of AI, this paper is essential reading. It offers invaluable insights into ensuring competitiveness, compliance, and responsibility in AI operations. Share your thoughts and join the conversation on AI governance 👇🏼 #AIMSS #AIgovernance #ISO42001 #StandardsAustralia

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We're proud to have partnered with the Australian Veteran Health Services to enhance their cybersecurity measures and streamline their IT management. Our collaboration led to significant improvements in security, efficiency, and compliance via a tailored Cloud Platform Integration. I'm excited about the work we've accomplished together and look forward to future projects. Below is the case study! #ManagedITServices #DataSecurity #CloudSecurity #CaseStudy

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Phishing attacks are more common than we think, and they are constantly evolving. Protecting your business doesn't have to be complicated—simple steps can make all the difference. #CyberSecurityAwarenessMonth

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BIG NEWS for not-for-profit organisations! We've just released a FREE and easy to understand cyber security dashboard for NFPs. Plus eligible NFPs get access to the 4walls Cyber Security Dashboard. Designed for Humans, by Humans. #cybersecurity #dashboard #visualisations @4walls-cyber-advisory

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Cyber insurance isn’t a free pass. Much like the car insurance we all lean on, it doesn’t transfer all the risk.   Being found speeding, drink driving, or using a phone at the wheel are all going to lead to claims rejections. And being a ‘high risk’ driver is going to make it hard to get a policy, or get one at a reasonable cost.    For businesses, the starting point to securing a competitive #cyber #insurance policy is being able to demonstrate they have taken all reasonable steps to protect sensitive data. The house must be in order.   KBI.Media published my article detailing how having a clear picture of all the data you hold is critical to ensure you can get cyber insurance, at the best price, and actually get it paid out in the event of a breach. Castlepoint Systems

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If we step back and look at recent #breaches, we get roughly the following numbers: #Ticketmaster: 580 million customer records (globally) #Ticketek Australia: Unclear, but 1.9 million customers use the website monthly #Optus: 9.6 million #Medibank: 9.8 million #Latitude: 14 million Those are just the big ones I can think of. Dan Murphy’s, Football Australia, Microsoft, Nissan, Dell, Roku, Suncorp and Shell have all been breached THIS YEAR. The number one outcome of these types of breaches is "credential stuffing", where criminals will buy your username/password off of the dark web, then spray those combinations against as many websites as they can (bank, social media, email, Xero etc). If you reuse passwords across all your logins, it's only a matter of time before something bad happens. If you're interested in a free 30 minute consult on how you can protect yourself against this type of attack, click the link: https://lnkd.in/gGYZ9--A

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Cyber security is not just about firewalls and software updates—it's about people. Staff are critical to your organisation's defence strategy. Human error remains a leading cause of data breaches, often stemming from a lack of awareness or simple mistakes. Our blog sheds light on how best to integrate human behaviour into cyber security frameworks and the practical steps for building a culture of cybersecurity awareness … https://hubs.la/Q02NyF9-0 #HumanFactor #LetsBuildCyberResilience #CyberSecurity #Netier

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For those of us who have been hit by a data breach (think Optus, Medibank, Latitude and ClubsNSW etc ) there is good news in the budget: 🔹The Federal Government allocated 288m to progress the Digital ID System - see article for breakdown ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gJq6KYfE We OVERSHARE way too much personal information everytime we provide copies of our paper passports and plastic licences. 🔹 $23.4m allocated to pilot digital wallets and verifiable credentials 🔹 importantly there will be pilots to explore use cases for same. It’s also good news for businesses who carry the burden of retaining copies 🤦🏻 of ID documents and other personal information as part of their KYC/PoI obligations. Shout out to Minister Katy Gallagher for her strong leadership in driving this reform - which is critical National Infrastructure to enhance privacy, security and service delivery for the 21st century 🙏

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I have been talking about the importance of a data strategy and data governance for a long time, particularly in the context of cyber and information security. Interesting that this article points to the importance of both from an AI perspective as well. #ai #artificialintelligence #datagovernance

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🔒 Stay Secure: "Act Now" Campaign Launched to Protect First Nations Australians from Cyber Crime. Learn more about how you can safeguard your online presence and protect your personal information. #CyberSecurity #StaySafe #ActNow 🛡️🌐 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gK3qWUJK

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