By Callum Ludwig
Major companies in Australia have been targeted by cybersecurity attacks in recent times but it is just as important for local businesses to be reasonably secure with their data.
Yarra Ranges Enterprise Centres (YREC) is hosting a free cybersecurity workshop facilitated by Business Victoria on Wednesday 5 April to help answer the questions of local business owners on how they can safeguard their businesses.
Executive Officer at YREC Alison Fitzgerald said cybersecurity is a term that gets thrown around a lot but that not a lot of people really know the scope of it.
“I’m keen to do it myself and understand it better because it includes threats, password authorization and authentication, internet network and WiFi security and even personal devices,” she said.
“The beauty of these workshops is that they point you in the right direction, so they give you a workbook after the event and give you some really good contacts, websites and other resources to explore, as we have businesses of different stages of growth and with different needs.”
A general explanation of what cybersecurity is will begin the session, which will also likely discuss the range of cybersecurity threats and the importance of data protection, how to better secure passwords, data, personal devices and your internet network and how to plan measures in case of a cybersecurity breach.
Ms Fitzgerald said she has a couple of tenants at YREC whose business would be devastated if they were hit by a breach.
“One business creates veterinary software, finding out what the veterinary surgeon needs and then adapting the software and selling it to them, another young guy is doing computer generated design work, either of them loses that and there goes the core of their business,” she said.
“The facilitators will work the room, get to know the attendees and then they work out where the areas of interest are, from there the whole workshop then is designed around the questions and issues people have.”
The cyber security workshop is one of many different initiatives from Business Victoria to help educate local businesses, with YREC committed to hosting them where possible. Previously, YREC hosted a workshop on Winning Government Grants and Tenders and is also set to host one on Cash Flow in May.
For more information and to book a place for this workshop or others, visit the Yarra Ranges Enterprise Centres Ltd Facebook page.
