The organisation is urging small businesses to sign up to the Cyber Wardens pilot project, launched in October and designed especially for small businesses and their specific needs when it comes to cyber attacks.
According to data from the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), 43 per cent of cyber crime targets small businesses, and this year, there has been an 80 per cent increase in cyber insurance, which in these challenging economic times is something that many small businesses can no longer afford.
The Cyber Warden’s project was launched in October by COSBOA in partnership with Commbank and Telstra. The pilot program is being designed to encourage stretched small-business owners to address their cyber security risks.
The program will be designed by small business, for small business, aiming to upskill Australia’s small-business workforce and give owners and employees the tools they need to stay safe online through a free and easy-to-use accredited e-learning platform.
It is a simple education tool designed to build a cyber smart small-business workforce. Educating the small business team about cyber threats will help to protect their business.
The ACSC said a trained cyber warden could save a small business up to $50,000.
The data from ACSC also revealed that 95 per cent of cyber attacks target individuals who work within a small business, and more than 60 per cent of Australia’s 2.3 million small-business owners feel unprepared for a cyber attack.
COSBOA said that as online scams and fraud continue to rise, it is critical that Australia’s almost 5 million small-business employees are supported to upskill their cyber safety knowledge.
CBA’s group executive for business banking, Mike Vacy-Lyle, said it is crucial the small-business sector is equipped with the skills it needs to stay safe online.
“Understanding a complex topic like cyber safety can be challenging, and we are always looking for ways to better support small businesses in this space. We’re excited to launch the Cyber Wardens pilot program to help demystify cyber safety, instil a cyber mindset and empower small businesses to identify and manage cyber threats,” Mr Vacy-Lyle said.
The Cyber Wardens program will be rolled out at no cost to small businesses and has been designed so that anyone can take part in the training regardless of their tech skills. The program has been specifically tailored to make it as accessible as possible to as many businesses.
For more information on the Cyber Wardens initiative, register and be one of the first businesses to benefit from this free program; visit cyberwardens.com.au.
