Australian Cyber Security Center Publishes Cybersecurity Guide For Small Businesses

• The Australian Cyber Security Center (ACSC) has published a cybersecurity guide for small businesses.
• It provides information about common cybersecurity incidents and how to defend against them.

What is ACSC?

The Australian Cyber Security Center (ACSC) is an Australian Government initiative to improve cybersecurity. It works with the government and other experts to provide information and develop solutions with respect to cybersecurity.

What is the matter?

With the goal of helping small businesses protect themselves from cyber attacks, the ACSC has released a cybersecurity guide. It explains common cyber threats and what businesses can do to protect themselves from these threats.

“This Australian Small Business Cyber Security Guide has been specifically designed for small businesses to understand, take action, and increase their cyber security resilience against ever-evolving cyber security threats. The language is clear, the actions are simple, and the guidance is tailored for small businesses,” reads the guide.

What is in the guide?

The guide outlines cyber threats, software considerations, and key areas of people and procedures that small businesses can focus on.

• Malware, phishing emails, and ransomware are explained in the guide. A number of preventive measures are also listed for the threats.
• The guide discourages businesses from paying a ransom as there is no guarantee of regaining access.
• The listed software considerations include automatic updates, automatic backups, and multi-factor authentication.
• Access control, passphrases, and employee training are recommended measures in the people and procedures section.
• Usually, small businesses don’t have dedicated IT staff to oversee cybersecurity procedures. This makes educating employees and strengthening processes with cybersecurity measures a crucial step.
• The guide also comes with a glossary of various terms related to cybersecurity that businesses can refer to.