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Webinar: Why now businesses must focus on ransomware!

Are you a Cyber Secured CFO?

 

Robert McAdam | Cybersecurity Expert

Online: 15th March 2023, 12.30 AEST 

 

Join our webinar with industry expert Robert McAdam to learn more about “Why Now” businesses must focus on ransomware and become a Cyber Secured CFO!

Please register your attendance here.

We will add you to our exclusive attendance list and email you further details.

Australia more at risk from cyberattacks, Thales says

Unsurprisingly, Australia’s increased participation in international security pacts has led to greater scrutiny from cyber hackers and nation-state actors. These pacts involve collaboration between countries in defence, intelligence, and cybersecurity, which can make them targets for cyber attacks.

The Thales report highlights the growing threat to critical infrastructure in Australia, including energy, transportation, and telecommunications systems. These systems are essential for the functioning of society and the economy, making them attractive targets for cyber attackers.

The Optus data breach is just the latest example of the increasing cyber threats Australian organizations face. It underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures, including regular risk assessments, vulnerability testing, and employee training, to help prevent and mitigate the impact of cyber attacks.

Overall, the Thales report serves as a reminder of the need for continued vigilance and investment in cybersecurity at the national level and within individual organizations. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, staying ahead of the curve in identifying and addressing emerging cyber threats is crucial.

Mr Grant’s comments reflect Australia’s increased risk from cyber attacks due to its participation in international security pacts and the growing threat to critical infrastructure. In addition, the evolving nature of cyber threats means that many companies may have already been attacked without realizing it, making it challenging to identify and address vulnerabilities promptly.

The amendments to the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act 2018, which require Australian businesses to report cyber incidents within 12 hours, are a positive step in addressing these threats. They reflect the growing recognition of the importance of cybersecurity for the Australian economy and society and the need for timely reporting and response to cyber incidents.

Australia more at risk from cyberattacks, Thales says continued…

The global survey of more than 2700 respondents conducted by Thales revealed significant gaps in risk management and found that over 60% of critical sectors’ data in the cloud is sensitive, with human error remaining the main threat. Thales stated that traditional security approaches are no longer sufficient to address today’s evolving threat landscape, putting nations, organisations, and people’s lives at risk.

The survey also found that 44% of respondents reported increased cyberattack volume, severity, and scope in the past 12 months, while more than a third had experienced a security breach. Only half of the respondents could classify at least half of their data. More than three-quarters of respondents were very or somewhat concerned about security risks and threats from employees working remotely.

However, only 45% had a formal ransomware plan, and just half of the critical infrastructure organisations surveyed used multi-factor authentication. In addition, according to the report, enterprises may lack a good understanding of the effects of all the parties involved, such as cyber insurance underwriters, incident response firms, government regulations, and ransomware attribution.

insurancenews.com.au

Tim Woods

Tim brings his commercial insight into the ERA business, gained from previous roles of CEO, Managing Director and General Management within Logistics, Supply Chain and Executive Search enterprises.

He is committed to the principle that ERA exists to save businesses money in their non-core spending and bring them expertise in each area. He gets a buzz from identifying and managing suppliers for his clients, ensuring their margins are not excessive and releasing the extra profit back into his client’s business instead of the suppliers.

Tim believes that all clients must see clear, tangible benefits to operating with ERA and that any deal must focus on short-term, immediate success and long-term bottom-line improvement. “Any dealings with ERA need to deliver strong bottom-line results straight away, but more importantly, create a trust and ongoing relationship between the client and ERA,” says Tim. “Our unique process, industry expertise, professionalism and speed to market deliver all these facets. Once the client dips their toe in the water with us and experiences the impact of the process and results, we inevitably do more projects for them. They then see us as the expertise they don’t have internally and a trusted partner, as we don’t charge unless we deliver a strong result”.

Tim deals with clients in the large to medium space and works with many CEOs, CFOs and Managing Directors across Australia within both Public and Private companies. “I can interact with decision-makers and understanding what drives them that sets me apart from others,” says Tim. “This ultimately leads to trust”. Once engaged by the client, Tim utilises the Intellectual property of the team of category experts. He uses the unique ERA approach to ensure projects are delivered on time and in line with estimates.

Most of Tim’s clients are household brand names across retail, manufacturing, professional services, FMCG and Logistics sectors.

Robert McAdam

Rob McAdam has had an extensive career in the cybersecurity industry, starting in 1990 with the New South Wales Police Force. He then moved to IBM, where he worked as a program manager with a team of 178 people for the Sydney Olympics in 2000. After the Olympics, he became the Program Manager for Penetration Testing, Managed Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems across Asia Pacific at IBM’s Security and Privacy Practice.

In 2002, Mr McAdam founded Pure Hacking, a cybersecurity company specializing in independent security penetration testing. Under his leadership, Pure Hacking became a leading Australian security company focusing on penetration testing, conducting both internal and external penetration testing, application audits, and providing ongoing security management for a growing number of firms.

In 2014, Pure Hacking was sold to PS&C, and Mr McAdam served as the operational overseer of the PS&C Security Practice until 2017, when he started CXO Security. CXO Security is a security consultancy dedicated to servicing the executive suite on security matters, including assisting Boards in Cyber Security matters, incident response for breaches, and security certifications for businesses.

In October 2021, Mr McAdam co-created Sekuro as a founding investor. Sekuro is a cybersecurity company that offers Advisory, Technologies & Platform Engineering, Team Augmentation, Managed Services, and Assurance & Compliance services in both on-prem and cloud implementations. Sekuro was co-created with M&A professionals, CXO Security, and three other established and successful Australian cybersecurity consultancies, including Privasec, Solista, and Naviro, to provide the capabilities and scale needed in the enterprise market.