#1 Best Cyber Security for Townsville Business – avoid threats!

avoid known threats

Townsville has a unique and diverse economy with not one sector accounting for more than around 15 per cent of economic output (James Cook University). Being aware of the best cyber security for Townsville business will help you avoid costly incidents and assure your customers.

The largest two sectors of the economy are manufacturing at 14.6% and public administration at 14%. Followed by construction at 12.7% and rental and hiring at 8%. These four sectors make up 50% of the total economic output of Townsville in 2022.

Townsville is also an exporter of cane and molasses, mineral ores and concrete and fertiliser. In addition the region experienced 2.8 million tourists, a drop on the previous year, but those regional tourists spent 17% more than the previous year at $1.4bn. Townsville also has an important defence sector. Year on year the number of businesses relocating or setting up in Townsville is growing.

In 2021 Townsville City Council launched a cyber security node – a partnership between the Council and the Queensland and Australian Government. The aim is to provide a good basis for the best cyber security for Townsville business.

So what are some of the key cyber threats to Townsville businesses in 2024?

State Sponsored Attacks

Townsville as a hub for defence and manufacturing is a potential target for more state sponsored attacks, whose aim it to disrupt key infrastructure or defence projects.

Supply chain attacks

Most sectors are now affected by supply chain attacks. Businesses reply on third party software and services and the more of these that interact with a businesses network the more vulnerable they are. It is becoming imperative to ensure the security of third parties by asking them to provide evidence that they have a cyber security strategy in place and are improving year on year.

Internet of Things mass connectivity

In manufacturing a huge number of sensors and connections are present in everyday household goods from fridges to clocks, to cars and lighting. These are just one avenue hackers can exploit as the number of connections explodes.

Sophisticated Phishing attacks

Phishing attacks according to some reports are responsible for up to 90 per cent of all cyber incidents. Often these are down to human error and until businesses apply regular staff awareness training

this is unlikely to change.

Secure Konnect Cyber Security recommend the best cyber security for Townsville business is to undertake a small business maturity assessment too ascertain your current levels of maturity. From here businesses can easily move to increase their maturity over time as budget allows.

Many small businesses in Australia look to mature against the Australian Government’s Essential 8 Cyber Security controls. These are a good way of implementing basic cyber security procedures. Secure Konnect recommend that the best cyber security for Townsville business is a more comprehensive NIST Cyber Security Framework assessment of your current status, which includes the Essential 8 – but goes significantly further to look and people and processes – the most common causes of cyber incidents.

Alternatively, or in addition, the best cyber security for Townsville business would include consideration of ISO27001 – the leading global standard for information security. Most large organisations are required to comply with the standard by regulators. Small businesses who show that they are seriously working towards alignment, compliance with ISO27001 send a clear message to their customers – that they take cyber security and their customers data seriously. They also prepare themselves well for the inevitable increase in cyber security requirements for business in the coming years.

For the best cyber security for Townsville business contact Secure Konnect today for a free, friendly chat about your unique business and how we can help.