Small businesses face an increase in cybercrime during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has warned that cyber-attacks and malicious cyber security threats have dramatically increased during the COVID-19 health crisis, impacting businesses nationwide.

Abigail Bradshaw, Head of the ACSC, revealed since the start of the pandemic in early March 2020 there has been a substantial increase in malicious cyber activity across Australia, with cyber criminals actively targeting Australian organisations with COVID-19 related scams. 

What are the latest cyber security risks facing SMEs during the COVID-19 health crisis?

The ACSC has also received an increasing number of reports about remote access scams from businesses and members of the public. Cybercriminals are pretending to be from IT companies, telecommunications companies, banks, and even from the ACSC, in an attempt to coax you into giving them remote access to ‘fix an issue’. The scammers provide a range of scenarios to convince you that they need immediate access to your device. Once given access, the scammers are able to access the business’ intellectual property.

There are also many email phishing scams that appear to be from the Australian Government, with one of the latest scams inviting people to support a ‘Coronavirus Relief Fund’.

What does this mean for small business?

Since March 2020, the ACSC has received over 115 cybercrime and cyber security incident reports from individuals and businesses. Likewise, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch has received over 1,100 reports about COVID-19 scams, with almost $130,000 in reported losses reported.

How you can protect your business from cybercrime?

The current Coronavirus pandemic has amplified concerns surrounding malicious cyber activity and

cyber security but whatever the type of cyber security threat, there are easy steps that businesses can take to hel[ protect themselves. The ACSC strongly encourages organisations and individuals to remain vigilant against the threat of COVID-19 themed scams, phishing emails and malicious websites. 

Cybercriminals and scammers produce phishing emails that look legitimate so you and your staff should be aware of the warning signs that may indicate something is amiss. To better protect your business against such emails, the ACSC recommends the following 6 steps:

1. Before opening an email, consider who is sending it to you and what they’re asking you to do. If you are unsure, call the organisation you suspect the suspicious message is from, using contact details from a verified website or other trusted source.
2. Do not open attachments or click on links in unsolicited emails or messages.
3. Do not provide personal information to unverified sources and never provide remote access to your computer.
4. Remember that reputable organisations locally and overseas, including banks, government departments, Amazon, PayPal, Google, Apple and Facebook, will not call or email to verify or update your personal information.
5. Use email, SMS or social media providers that offer spam and message scanning.
6. Use two-factor authentication (2FA) on all essential services such as email, bank and social media accounts, as this way of ‘double-checking’ identity is stronger than a simple password. 2FA requires you to provide two things, your password and something else (e.g. a code sent to your mobile device or your fingerprint) before you, or anyone pretending to be you, can access your account.

Other simple strategies that businesses should consider to bolster their online security and help prevent cyber-attacks include:

1. Anti-virus software: computer software to prevent malware that deletes, corrupts or steals information.
2. Backing up and restoring data: businesses should back up data on the cloud or to external hard drives.
3. Firewalls: if employees are working at home or in hybrid mode, passwords on Wi-Fi routers should be changed.
4. Password managers: a password manager can help develop a strong password that will take much longer to be compromised.

Call in your trusted tech advisors

At Telstra Business Technology Centre Melbourne South and Telstra Business Technology Centre Victoria East, we can run a cyber security audit to identify areas that can be improved, and advise you on a solution that is completely tailored to your business. We’re here to help. Call us on 1300 669 103 or email [email protected] to strengthen your business’ online presence today.