The Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Telstra have joined forces with the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) in the new Cyber Wardens pilot program that aims to become Australia’s first cyber safety workplace certification or micro-credential for the small-business sector.
The program will be designed by small businesses, for small businesses, aiming to upskill the nation’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.
According to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), 43 per cent of all Australian cyber crime is directed at small businesses — costing small-business owners almost $9,000 on average. 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.
COSBOA’s research found that six out of 10 small businesses feel unprepared and rate their cyber security as poor, could improve or only okay. The research also showed cost is the primary barrier to upgrading cyber security systems, which is why the Cyber Wardens program will be rolled out at no cost to small businesses.
COSBOA chief executive Alexi Boyd said the aim of the Cyber Wardens program is to develop crucial skills training for small-business owners who have felt powerless in the digital safety space.
“We believe that having a Cyber Warden on the team will help give small business owners the confidence that their business and customers are protected,” Ms Boyd said.
“Australia’s innovative small business owners are used to wearing many hats but we can’t just add another task to the to-do or ‘too hard’ lists. By targeting employees, as well as owners, the Cyber Wardens program will equip Australia’s small business workforce with the mindset, skillset and toolset to more easily and safely engage with an increasingly digital world.
“We want to foster a culture of self-determination and understanding in cyber safety — no IT degree, excel expertise and cloud wizardry required.”
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,” he said.
“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 cyberthreats.”
Designed specifically for non-tech employees, the Cyber Wardens pilot program will be rolled out in the coming months.
Cyber Wardens will be trained based on the ACSC’s Essential Eight and will be empowered to:
- Learn about common cyber threats that could impact their business and keep their cyber safety knowledge up to date
- Act as a cyber champion to help uplift the safety of the business, its employees and help protect their customers
- Promote better practices for managing safer passphrases across small business
- Implement cyber safety standards in their workplaces
- Help small business have a risk mindset with how they run their business
- Have the knowledge about where to get further support and report cyber threats
