securityTag Archive

It is a well-known adage in cybersecurity that there is a balance between usability and security – if you increase the security and control, you decrease usability. Conversely, to make a system user-friendly and easy to use, it has to be done at the cost of lowering security. This has… Continue Reading Challenging the balance between security and usability

Cybersecurity is a culture, not an action – but for organisations starting in their efforts to implement a cybersecurity culture, there are some steps in getting started with cybersecurity. This article will outline the basics to get started with cybersecurity, for small to medium sized businesses, and for larger business… Continue Reading Getting started with cybersecurity

With the hack of Optus Telecommunications on 22 September 2022, where the personal information of up to 11.5 million Australians (nearly half of all people in Australia) was stolen, this has highlighted the need for cybersecurity reform in Australia. Unlike other countries, there are no mandated fines and penalties for… Continue Reading Cybersecurity reform in Australia

On 22nd September 2022, Optus Telecommunications announced that they had detected a “hack” of their systems, and revealed that 9.8 million customer records had been accessed. For Australia’s second largest mobile phone provider, this represents nearly half of all Australian’s personal details, which includes name and address and phone number… Continue Reading Hacking risk for domestic violence victims

People have asked me about my leadership style, and as it is such a common question, I have decided to post it here. People recognise that I am passionate, and I lead through inspiration and desire to achieve the strategic goals. I am a positive and passionate person who motivates… Continue Reading My leadership style

In our ever-increasingly online lives, passwords have become a vital part of our existence. However, passwords are still the most vulnerable part of our security – because they are created and used by people, who persistently are the weakest point in any security protection. Why are passwords so easy to… Continue Reading Password tips for ease of use

There have been two very different leadership styles in the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022. We have seen the impact of poor leadership and the benefit of strong leadership in the conflict, and there are many parallels that can be taken for business. Leadership in the Ukraine… Continue Reading Leadership in the Ukraine War

We are frequently given advice on creating complex passwords, never re-using passwords, and setting up two factor authentication, but we need to consider the 2 factor authentication risks – which come about through both technology limitations and with the ever-present security weakpoint of human factors. What is 2FA? Firstly, it… Continue Reading 2 Factor Authentication risks

Issues arose with using VPN servers when workforces expanded and scaled up. VPNs were built around a model where IT administrators distributed the devices employees used so they knew the network, device, and person. But remote work changed everything.    As the workforce expanded globally and added contractors along with… Continue Reading VPNs and Zero Trust

It is human nature to try and avoid mistakes and the embarrassment of failure, after all, it is educated in to use to avoid mistakes through “operant conditioning“, but it is important to take a policy of embracing mistakes in cybersecurity, to avoid people trying to hide times when they… Continue Reading Embracing mistakes in cybersecurity

If you have ever been in a tricky situation, you will know that half the battle is knowing what is going on – you can’t fix a problem if you don’t know what has happened. However, root cause analysis needs to wait until after the issue is resolved. Too often,… Continue Reading Half the battle is knowing what is going on

With the use of Software as a Service offerings increasing, with 99% of businesses projected to use one or more SaaS solutions in an industry that is worth $165Bn a year. There are 15,529 companies providing SaaS solutions , and so it seems like a logical choice to start using… Continue Reading Risks of SaaS

I started my career on Exchange 5.0 in late 1997, and the product became my main skill area for nearly 22 years. In that time, I experienced hacking attacks and website defacement of OWA, stability battles and architecture changes when Microsoft evolved the system towards cloud capability. When my career… Continue Reading Exchange on-premises hack: who still has servers?

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) developed prioritised mitigation strategies and published them in February 2017, to help organisations mitigate cybersecurity incidents caused by various cyber threats. The Essential 8 are to be considered a baseline of the minimum standards that any business should follow to protect themselves and their… Continue Reading What is the Essential 8

A hot topic around the world is the use of digital systems to record health information for people. It’s not just the healthcare record security concerns – the fear that information can be hacked or even changed, it also has roots in incomplete recording of information, and how healthcare professionals… Continue Reading Healthcare record security concerns

We have all heard it before; “I am not worried about my data, I am not very interesting or important” or similar assertions that their bank account does not have much money to steal, or their Facebook / Instagram posts are not embarassing or personal. However, this common viewpoint is… Continue Reading Why be concerned with personal data security?