October is Cyber Awareness month – Tips on Keeping your Personal & Business Info Secure

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, a time to refresh and update your knowledge about the latest threats and best ways to keep your family, as well as your client and business information safe from cyber hackers and blackmail.
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These easy-to-use tips can significantly increase your online safety.
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Regularly Update Your Devices antivirus software
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Turn on automatic updates for your devices and software. This ensures you have the latest security in place.

• Check out our top tips to stay cyber-secure
• Learn how to update your devices
• Test your knowledge by taking our short quiz: how cyber secure are you

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Use Multi-factor Authentication for logging on
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Turn on multi-factor authentication to add another layer of protection to your accounts.

• Learn about protecting your accounts with multi-factor authentication
• Use the how-to-guide to protect your devices and accounts using multi-factor authentication

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Backup Your important files
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Safeguard your data from threats and avoid costly data recovery by having your important files backed up.

• Set up and perform regular backups – back up photos, etc to the cloud. Hackers often encrypt your most important data to make sure you pay them;
• Use our advice for backups to learn more about the files and devices to back up regularly

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Password Managers, so you don’t have to remember all your passwords
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Passphrases are passwords that use 4 or more random words. Don’t compromise your accounts by re-using passwords or passphrases. Consider using a password manager to help generate or store secure and unique passphrases.

• Set secure passphrases
• Learn how to protect your passphrases using a password manager

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Get Involved
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The best way to protect your business is by implementing the Essential Eight mitigation strategies to protect against the most common cyber threats. You can also use the Exercise in a box tool to test your business’ cyber threat response and identify ways to improve your cyber security.
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Cyber insurance provides specialist cover for internet-related crimes, such as stealing personal information, confidential business records or tricking people into transferring money or other property. Talk to your adviser about cover to suit your needs.
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Finally, stay up-to-date with the latest cyber security advice by signing up for alerts.
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This October, look at the free resources available on cyber.gov.au, for Cyber Security Awareness Month.