New guides will help small business secure cloud environment

“The ACSC worked with Microsoft to develop these guides. By working alongside organisations, both public and private, we are making Australia a hard target for cyber criminals,” said Abigail Bradshaw, head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

“We recognise owners and operators of small businesses may not have the resources or time to understand online complexities or establish complicated responses to potential risks.

“Guides such as these can assist businesses in understanding cyber risk and how to work with a managed service provider, or internal technical employees to ensure a robust cyber posture.”

More than 76,000 cyber crime reports were submitted to the ACSC in the 2021–22 financial year. On average, that equates to one in Australia every seven minutes.

“As technology advances, so should our cyber security. A cyber crime can be devastating and can cause significant financial loss for a small business. On average, cyber incidents cost small businesses over $39,000. These guides are designed to help businesses secure their systems and data,” said Alexi Boyd, chief executive of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia.

The Small Business Cloud Security Guides are just some of the resources available at cyber.gov.au, which help individuals and businesses improve their cyber security.

The ACSC Partnership Program enables the sharing of insights and collaborative opportunities to lift cyber resilience across all sectors of the Australian economy.

“We encourage all Australians to join our Partnership Program and receive timely information, such as these guides, to help them keep their systems and networks secure,” said Ms Bradshaw.

Australian businesses can sign up to become an ACSC partner.