October is Cyber security awareness month

Throughout October the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is sharing guides and resources that will help you protect all your information from cyber criminals.

Update your devices and applications

Cybercriminals hack devices by using known weaknesses in systems or apps. Check your devices for updates, and turn on automatic updates so that future updates are made straight away when charging and in Wi-Fi.

Turn on multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security measure that requires at least 2 proofs of identity to grant access. MFA options can include a physical token, random pin or fingerprint.

Using MFA significantly boosts your protection against criminals. While they might manage to steal one proof of identity, like your password, they will be locked out of your account without the other.

Learn how to turn on MFA for your accounts.

Set up backups

Backing up your data means saving copies of your files to an external storage device, or an online server like the cloud. It means you can restore your important information if something goes wrong.

Setting up automatic backups in your system or application settings will give you peace of mind.

Already checked these on your to-do list? Take the next steps. Visit cyber.gov.au for more detailed guidance, or subscribe to alerts to find out more about the latest cyber threats.

If you’re ever unsure about a phone caller, SMS, voicemail or email claiming to be genuine but seems suss, do not reply. You can also follow the latest scams and advice on how to protect yourself on the ATO website or at Scamwatch.