Have you been hacked?
With the recent Optus data breach there is a lot of talk about cyber security, and how something like this can happen. Reports vary as to how many people have been impacted by this, potentially between 9 and 11 million people. Unfortunately, this is something we will see more of rather than less in the coming years as data has become one of the most valuable commodities in the world.
One of the key realisations from this situation is that cyber security is not just about big business or people who work in the IT industry. Rather, it is also about each individual person knowing how to keep their own information safe. It is very timely that Cyber Awareness month is October, and in 2022 the overarching theme is ‘Have you been hacked?’.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre is promoting Cyber Security Awareness Month with four weekly themes.
Week 1: Have you been hacked?
Undertake a quick questionnaire to see if you have any risk factors. If you do, possible actions for you to take will be presented. The page that is probably getting a workout right now is the question related to having personal information such as a driver’s licence number stolen.
ACSC suggest visiting the IDCARE website and reporting the issue, as well as obtaining a Commonwealth Victims’ Certificate to help down the track if you become a victim of a crime related to the theft of identity.
Week 2: Is your email secure?
Steps are provided for checking your Microsoft or Google email accounts to see how secure they are.
Make sure you change your password on a regular basis. Even better, start to use passphrases to make them more difficult to crack.
Setup multi-factor authentication. This is becoming a mandatory requirement with some software platforms in an attempt to help people be secure.
Week 3: How do you act now to stay secure?
A bucket-load of tips on making sure all of your accounts are secure and knowing how to recognise scams such as phishing emails
Of particular mention is multi-factor authentication (again, of course!), regularly doing manufacturer updates on your devices, using passphrases and backing up your data.
Week 4: It’s time to take action!
If you think you’re all over this cyber security thing, test yourself! Take one of the multitudes of quizzes available on the ACSC website, including:
Conclusion
Cyber security is only one part of knowing how to navigate a digital world safely, securely and effectively. Due to the potential to impact all aspects of our lives, it is a no-brainer that we all need to become more cyber-aware as we move towards a more digitised way of living.