Cyber Security Awareness Month

My name is Erica Hardinge, drawing from nearly two decades working in cybersecurity at ANZ I believe that people are key to combating scams and cybercrime.

I'm fascinated by the role that the education industry and government play in making this possible, but people tend to think that being secure in an increasingly online world is complex but it's really no different to protecting yourself and those you care about in the real world.

For example, if you notice someone lurking around your neighbour’s house you might start to pay close attention and if they continued acting suspiciously you might even call the police. You would likely feel a sense of responsibility to warn your community.

In a similar way cyber security is everyone's responsibility to protect yourself and those you care about. We encourage you to make a pact to protect your virtual valuables:

• Pause before sharing personal information particularly when requested over email SMS or the phone,

• Activate multiple layers of security with more than just a password,

• Call out suspicious messages and;

• Turn on auto updates.

These steps go a long way to better security. In particular it's important to share examples of cyber incidents and scams so that we can learn together and help protect those around us. By reporting a scam, you might just help protect the next person from becoming a victim. The actions we each take can contribute to a safe digital world so let's be on the watch together and help protect what matters most.