Top 5 Habits Unveiling Small Biz to Cyber Crime Daily

According to a study by the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia’s Cyber Wardens program, four out of five small business owners have observed everyday habits that make them more vulnerable to cybercrime. The study, based on a survey of over 2,000 Australian small businesses, identified the top five cyber security bad habits prevalent among small businesses. These habits include putting computers in sleep mode instead of shutting them down, reusing passwords, deleting suspicious emails without alerting IT, sharing passwords between team members, and postponing software updates. The Cyber Wardens program aims to raise awareness and empower small business owners to enhance their cyber resilience by adopting cyber-safe habits. The program provides training on multi-factor authentication, password management, device updates, and backups. Small businesses are urged to make simple swaps in their everyday habits to improve cyber safety and create a culture of awareness. The study highlights the importance of adopting good cyber security practices as scams and fraud can have a devastating impact on small businesses. Additionally, the average cost of cyber crime per incident has risen by 14% from 2021-22, according to the Australian Signals Directorate’s Annual Cyber Threat Report. The article emphasizes the need for small businesses to prioritize cyber security and protect their systems and sensitive data from potential threats.