More than one-fifth of Australian businesses experienced a cyber security attack during the 2021-22 financial year, a sharp increase from the previous year.
According to the latest report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 22 percent of businesses were targeted in a cyber incident. That figure sat at just eight per cent during the 2019-20 financial year.
Scams and fraud were the most commonly reported incident at 16 percent, with malicious software infections (five percent) and unauthorized access or use (three percent) also of concern.
Head of ABS business statistics Robert Ewing said: “Today’s ‘Characteristics of Australian Business’ Data release is important because it gives governments and researchers information about the prevalence, impacts and nature of cyber attacks.
“This helps them understand who they need to support and what strategies they need to use.”
The release reveals that 34 percent of businesses reported a loss of time in managing cyber security attacks and 18 percent recorded downtime of service. A further 17 per cent reported a loss of staff productivity.
Of those surveyed, 70 percent said that they relied on some form of protection software, while just 13 percent gave staff cyber security awareness training.
With the International Jewelery Fair in Sydney (19-21 August) now just weeks away, vigilance concerning cyber security remains important for the jewelery industry.
Scams in the lead-up to industry events such as the IJF are common, and tend to concern attendee lists, fair directories, and accommodation reservations.
Jewelers is aware of a number of emails currently circulating with offers to purchase the contact information for the attendee list of the IJF.
Fair organizers Expertise Events advise that the only way to deal with scammers is to not reply.
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