Scams Awareness Week emphasises need for collective vigilance
This week marks Scams Awareness Week, a time dedicated to focusing on the rising threats of scams and cyber-attacks and the collaborative efforts needed to combat them. Commentary from industry experts sheds light on the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and the pivotal roles both individuals and businesses must play.
Anthony Spiteri, Regional Chief Technology Officer for APJ at Veeam, emphasises the importance of a collective approach in safeguarding against scams. "Scams Awareness Week highlights the critical role everyone plays in protecting against scams and other cyber threats," Spiteri notes. He stresses that this collaborative mindset is not limited to individuals but extends to business settings. "One human error can open the door to large-scale ransomware attacks," he adds, pointing to the worrying statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics that indicate 30% of people fail to report the most serious scams.
With the rise of artificial intelligence, the cyber threat landscape is becoming more complex. AI can generate convincing phishing emails, deepfake videos, and voice messages that are increasingly difficult to detect. "It is more important than ever to stay vigilant and proactively report suspicious activity," Spiteri insists. Prompt reporting helps address vulnerabilities and updates detection systems to monitor for similar threats in the future. He also advocates for a zero-trust approach, where information should not be provided unless the identity of the person or organisation can be verified.
Spiteri underscores the necessity of a robust backup and recovery strategy. According to Veeam’s 2024 Data Protection Trends Report, about 80% of organisations across APJ suffered at least one cyberattack in the previous year. Such incidents highlight the need for secure and reliable backups to ensure data remains accessible and restorable, allowing organisations to quickly restore operations and recover lost data.
Kumar Mitra, Managing Director ANZ at Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), echoes this sentiment, focusing on businesses' role in safeguarding customer data. "While we urge consumers to remain vigilant against scams, businesses also bear a significant responsibility in safeguarding their customers amidst ever-evolving cybersecurity threats," Mitra states. He highlights that data protection and cyber resiliency rank among the top challenges for ANZ Chief Information Officers (CIOs), as outlined in Lenovo ISG's latest Smarter Data Management Playbook.
Mitra also points to the growing complexity of data management as a significant hurdle for many organisations. Nearly a quarter of enterprises cite this as a major obstacle in their data initiatives. "Scam Awareness Week plays a vital role in prompting Australians to consider who has access to their data," Mitra says, adding that it serves as a call to action for businesses to invest in robust safeguarding measures. This ensures data is not only appropriately but also securely stored, honouring the trust placed in them by their customers.
The Smarter Data Management Playbook notes that data security is becoming a top priority for CIOs, with 30% of APAC organisations emphasising its importance. Mitra believes this focus must continue as emerging technologies pose new challenges. "Australian businesses are making commendable strides in data protection," he concludes, urging that this momentum is maintained to navigate the evolving cyber threat landscape.
Throughout Scams Awareness Week, the emphasis remains on a dual approach: individuals must remain vigilant and proactive in reporting threats, while businesses should consistently uphold and improve their data protection and cyber resiliency measures. Only through a collective effort can the ever-evolving digital age threats be effectively managed and mitigated.
