Cybercrime has emerged as the primary threat facing Australia, transcending its traditional categorization as solely an IT issue. High-profile data breaches in the past year have underscored the pervasive danger that jeopardizes both businesses and individuals. Particularly vulnerable are small businesses, often targeted due to underestimation of risks and insufficient security measures.
Small businesses, acting as entry points, can facilitate attackers' access to larger businesses with which they collaborate.
Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks have gained prominence, with government figures indicating losses exceeding $80 million for Australian businesses in 2022-23. Notably, these attacks don't always involve malware; instead, criminals increasingly employ social engineering to manipulate accounts and deceive organizations into transferring substantial sums of money.
The vulnerabilities exploited in cyberattacks stem from various factors within an organization's environment, such as unpatched software, misconfigured network devices, insecure network design, and unauthorized changes to system settings.
Recognizing the critical role of security in modern organizational success, the global perspective on cybersecurity has shifted from anticipating whether an attack will occur to understanding the frequency of attacks, detection capabilities, and the ensuing business impact.
A comprehensive and strategic approach to security is imperative, requiring organizations to govern, identify, protect, detect, respond and recover to existing threats while preparing for future challenges.
Agility in security planning, coupled with effectiveness and commercial viability, is essential. Regular technical security assessments are recommended to proactively identify and remedy system vulnerabilities, reducing the likelihood of exploitation.
Standards such as the ASD Essential Eight, ISO/IEC 27000, and the NIST Framework guide Leap Consulting's security services.
The Security Posture Review offered by Leap Consulting involves a comprehensive analysis of security aspects, encompassing people, processes, management, and technology. It considers current threats, IT usage, technology in place, and organizational policy, evaluating the security posture while aligning with short and long-term strategies and business goals.
