At a recent executive roundtable co-hosted by Cube Cyber and Illumio, security leaders examined a critical weakness exploited in nearly every modern breach: rapid lateral movement after initial compromise. Recent incidents highlight that even mature, well-tooled environments can be breached when identity gaps, flat network architectures, and unmanaged legacy systems enable attackers to escalate privileges and pivot across the environment.

The discussion broke down how post compromise activity unfolds in real world scenarios and explored practical controls that limit propagation, including Zero Trust Segmentation, tighter east west visibility, and containment aligned to critical asset pathways.

The takeaway was clear. Resilience is not about preventing every intrusion. It is about restricting lateral movement, reducing blast radius, and keeping core operations intact when a breach occurs.

The Modern Reality: Breach Inevitable, Spread Preventable 

The group began by confronting a sobering reality: breaches are no longer rare incidents, but an operational certainty. Modern attacks are designed for speed, scale, and automation, leaving security teams little time to react. Once an initial compromise occurs, lateral movement follows quickly, turning a single foothold into a full-scale incident. 

Examples such as the Ingram Micro breach illustrated this challenge vividly. Attackers exploited a VPN entry point, harvested credentials, scanned internal systems, and eventually exfiltrated data, and deployed ransomware. Each stage of that chain is familiar and preventable, but only when visibility and containment techniques have been built into designs, and not simply as afterthoughts. 

Lateral Movement: The Underrated Threat Vector 

Participants discussed how lateral movement has become a defining feature of modern cyberattacks. Techniques such as Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) exploitation and Server Message Block (SMB) traversal continue to dominate post-compromise activity, leveraging so called “Living off the Land” techniques to avoid detection by traditional EDR solutions The problem isn’t simply that these techniques exist, it’s that many environments remain too flat, too open, and too trusting. 

Once an attacker breaches the perimeter, they often find minimal segmentation, limited firewall or flow logging, and partial visibility from traditional security tools like EDR or SIEM. The result is a porous environment where a single compromised system can become a launchpad for internal reconnaissance, credential harvesting, and lateral expansion. 

AI-driven malware has only amplified this problem. Campaigns such as Akira or Oyster demonstrate how quickly automation can scale a breach. The attackers’ ability to move through hybrid and multi-cloud environments outpaces the traditional incident response playbook. 

Resilient by Design: Breach Containment for the Modern Enterprise 

One of the strongest themes that emerged was the need to move beyond reactive detection. EDR and SIEM tools remain essential, but they are not enough to stop movement once the attacker is inside. Over-reliance on legacy macro-segmentation approaches also limits effectiveness against today’s threat environment. The conversation shifted toward containment by design, the idea that security architecture should assume compromise and be structured to contain it. 

Illumio’s breach containment model provided the framework for this discussion. By using strategic Zero Trust segmentation and intelligent labelling at a workload-level, organisations can ‘ringfence’ their critical assets, restrict unnecessary communication paths, and rapidly isolate threats without taking entire systems offline. Illumio’s platform and approach allows for rapid deployment of these containment strategies, allowing organisations to build resilience iteratively.  

This selective containment approach was seen as a critical evolution from the traditional “kill switch” response. Instead of shutting down entire networks, predefined incident response policies can be quickly deployed to quarantine only the affected systems, keeping business operations running while the threat is neutralised. 

The Role of Deep Visibility and IR Practice 

The executives agreed that resilience depends on one thing above all: understanding what normal looks like. Visibility across workloads, users, and traffic flows enables earlier detection and faster decisions. When teams know their environment intimately, abnormal behaviour stands out. 

But visibility alone isn’t enough, it must be paired with Incident Response (IR). The group emphasised that predefined incident response plans and tested containment procedures are the key to avoiding hesitation when a breach occurs. Preparedness transforms panic into process. 

Cube Cyber’s perspective reinforced this operational focus. The company’s incident readiness work with clients has shown that response speed and clarity depends on visibility, policy alignment, and the ability to act without fear of disrupting the business. 

Containment as Culture 

Perhaps the most forward-looking insight from the roundtable was that resilience is as much cultural as it is technical. Containment cannot sit as a one-off initiative or an emergency response protocol. It needs to be woven into everyday operations. That means refining access policies, integrating segmentation principles into new IT projects, and aligning security operations with broader business objectives so that containment becomes a default design choice rather than a reactive measure. 

Participants described this shift as moving from a defensive posture to a resilience mindset. The group noted that many organisations still rely heavily on compliance tick-boxes, assuming that meeting framework requirements equates to readiness. The discussion challenged that view. Compliance may be necessary, but it does not prepare an organisation for the speed and complexity of real-world lateral movement. A stronger focus on preparation for the inevitable and building a genuine containment culture emerged as a defining marker of resilience. 

Lessons to Take Forward 

The event closed with a series of practical takeaways that organisations can act on immediately using the Illumio platform: 

• Map your environment: Understand dependencies and communication paths across all assets using the Illumio Map. What is normal? 

• Manage your external attack surface: Leverage new tools like Illumio Insights to identify unprotected cloud-native assets, ensuring the organisation’s attack surface is understood. 

• Define and test containment policies: Build muscle memory for rapid isolation during incidents. 

• Adopt segmentation early: Limit exposure and control east-west movement before a breach. 

• Refine continuously: Use visibility tools and post-incident reviews to strengthen defenses. 

The message was clear. Resilience is not achieved through tools alone, but through disciplined design and ongoing operational readiness. Many organisations understand the value of segmentation, yet the execution often falls behind due to complexity, legacy constraints, or uncertainty about where to start. The roundtable reinforced that platforms like Illumio can help simplify this journey, providing the visibility and structure needed to make segmentation practical and achievable as part of a broader Zero Trust approach. 

Next Steps 

The roundtable concluded with a shared recognition that breach containment is now a core requirement for every organisation. Building resilience requires visibility, preparation, and the ability to contain threats while maintaining business continuity. 

For organisations operating across both on premises and cloud native environments, now is the time to assess how well your architecture supports containment by design. If you would like guidance on strengthening visibility and building rapid response capability, our team can help. 

Learn how Cube Cyber and Illumio support organisations in building stronger containment strategies: Contact Us

Identifying cybersecurity vulnerabilities in your network is a crucial step in securing your digital assets. While a one-time vulnerability scan is beneficial, it’s crucial to avoid the misconception that a single scan ensures network security. 

With the increasing frequency and complexity of cyber threats, long-term cybersecurity requires ongoing efforts. Regular, full scans of your entire environment are essential. 

We advocate for a proactive approach, recommending the scheduling of full vulnerability scans at least once a month or following any significant ICT changes. Thanks to modern vulnerability scanning tools, these scans can be integrated into your routine outside of business hours, minimising disruptions to operations and staff. 

Nurturing a culture of vigilance

Cybersecurity is an ongoing process, and staying vigilant is essential. Regular vulnerability management brings numerous benefits: 

Continuous Adaptation to Threats 
The cybersecurity landscape is dynamic, with new vulnerabilities emerging regularly. An ongoing scanning service ensures that your organisation stays updated on the latest threats.  

Adapting to System Changes 
Networks are not static; evolving with changes in software, hardware, and configurations. Continuous vulnerability scans help identify threats caused by system changes, updates, or new installations.  

Timely Threat Detection 
Cyber attackers are relentless in developing new methods and exploiting vulnerabilities. Through regular scanning, your organisation can quickly find and address emerging threats before they have a chance to be exploited. 

Compliance 
Many industries and regulatory frameworks require regular vulnerability assessments. Engaging in an ongoing scanning service not only ensures compliance but also mitigates potential legal or regulatory issues. 

Prioritisation of Remediation 
Regular scans provide a prioritised list of vulnerabilities based on severity. This allows your IT and security teams to focus on addressing the most critical issues first, thereby enhancing the overall security posture of your organisation. 

Risk Management 
At its core, cybersecurity is about proactive risk management. Ongoing vulnerability scanning allows you to proactively manage and mitigate risks by identifying and addressing potential weaknesses before they can be exploited. 

Incident Prevention 
Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities proactively becomes a powerful tool in preventing security incidents and data breaches. Ongoing scanning ensures that your organisation stays ahead of potential threats and take preventative measures.

Security Hygiene 
Much like personal hygiene is essential for maintaining health, security hygiene is crucial for the health of your IT infrastructure. Regular vulnerability scans contribute to good security hygiene by keeping your systems and software up-to-date and secure. 

Cost-Effective 
Regular vulnerability scanning proves to be a cost-effective when compared to dealing with the aftermath of a security breach. The average cost of a data breach is $6.77 million, significantly exceeding the expense of implementing preventive measures through continuous scanning. 

Security Culture 
Establishing an ongoing vulnerability scanning service within your organisation fosters a culture of security. It emphasises the importance of proactive security measures and encourages a mindset of continuous improvement. 

Demonstrates Due Diligence 
Regular vulnerability scanning is a demonstration to stakeholders, customers, and partners that your organisation takes cybersecurity seriously. It shows that active steps are being taken to secure systems and protect sensitive information.

A proactive approach to Cybersecurity

Identifying and managing cybersecurity vulnerabilities requires a strategic blend of proactive measures and regular assessments.  

By partnering with Cube Cyber, monthly scans are effortlessly managed, sparing your valuable time. We can provide a fully Managed Vulnerability Service for your organisation, using market leading solutions from vendors, including Tenable. While we suggest monthly scanning, we understand flexibility is key. Adjust the frequency to suit your needs. Our monthly reports, featuring executive summaries in an easy-to-understand format, zero in on key risks and provide mitigation strategies tailored to your organisation.  

Our expertise takes the lead, ensuring your organisation stays ahead of potential threats, strengthening your security in the background, while you can focus on more strategic projects. 

If you would like more information on how an expert team like Cube Cyber can put Vulnerability Best Practices in place for you, contact us today. 

1. The SME Cybersecurity Imperative

SMEs may perceive themselves as less vulnerable, but the reality is that phishing attacks can have a severe impact. Phishing attacks are generally the first step by an attacker in compromising a business email account that ultimately results in financial crimes such as invoice fraud. 

Did you know? At the lower end of the scale, the cost of a cyber security breach on a medium enterprise is $97,200. Cube Cyber believes in proactive measures to safeguard businesses of all sizes. Here are essential steps for SMEs to protect themselves: 

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) 

Implementing 2FA is a crucial step in stopping phishing attacks in their tracks. Cube Cyber advocates for this added layer of protection, and it is a “must have” when accessing internet facing systems. It acts as a formidable barrier against unauthorised access. 

Employee Education 

Educating staff members on cybersecurity is paramount. Cube Cyber understands that an informed workforce is less susceptible to phishing attempts. By imparting knowledge about preventive measures, employees can actively contribute to the organisation’s cybersecurity defences. 

Password Hygiene 

ID Support NSW, a state government agency dedicated to helping victims of identity theft and hacking, underscores the critical importance for businesses to elevate their cybersecurity measures. This involves the mandate for strong passwords. Cube Cyber aligns with this recommendation and places a strong emphasis on the significance of robust password practices. 

Cube Cyber advocates not only for the strength of passwords but also for the regular rotation of these credentials. The practice of using unique passwords for various functions adds an extra layer of security, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorised access resulting from compromised credentials.

Investing in Comprehensive Security Software 

Even without clicking on a malicious email or file, vulnerabilities exist. Take, for example, common email services like Outlook or Gmail. Enabling the option to automatically download pictures might seem harmless, but it can pose a significant risk. Cube Cyber recommends investing in a complete security software system. This includes solutions like Cisco Umbrella, which stands at the forefront of Cube Cyber’s defence strategy, offering protection against phishing emails and malicious attachments. 

Regular Data Backups 

Maintaining regular backups of company data is a fundamental aspect of Cube Cyber’s approach. In the unfortunate event of a phishing attack, having backups ensures that critical information can be recovered, minimising the impact on business operations. 

“Phishing based cyber-attacks can happen to anyone in the current landscape. And although they can elude security systems, there are some basic technologies that can slow the attack. Multi-factor Authentication, Secure Service Edge (SSE), and SASI. There’s no silver bullet, but if your security is basic, it is well worth looking into the viability of some of these well-matured methods to give yourself a fighting chance.”

2. Cube Cyber’s Must-Have Solution for SMEs

Small and medium-sized enterprises often underestimate the need for cybersecurity until it’s too late. Cube Cyber, however, stands out by encouraging and delivering a proactive approach.  

Cube Cyber’s MDR Service (Manage, Detect & Respond) 

We go beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and offer cost-effective, advanced security solutions tailored specifically to the requirements of small and medium businesses. With our MDR service, we ensure comprehensive protection that aligns seamlessly with SME operations, offering strong defences against cyber threats.  

Continuous Monitoring and Expert Analysis

Leveraging a combination of expert skills and automation, we ensure continuous monitoring of your entire IT environment 24/7. Our team supplies regular reports and analyses of security incidents, offering actionable insights to drive continual improvement across your IT operations. 

Local Expertise and Australian Team

Cube Cyber’s team is locally based and understands Australian businesses and challenges deeply. Our cybersecurity analysts and consultants bring decades of experience in security, supplying valuable and accessible resources to our clients. 

Flexible and Budget-Friendly Approach

Cube Cyber adopts a menu-style, a-la-carte approach to services. You only pay for what you need, allowing flexibility around budgets, existing capabilities, and risk appetite. 

First Line of Defence: Cisco Umbrella Integration

Cube Cyber integrates Cisco Umbrella as a proactive and vigilant guardian, positioning it as one of the first lines of defence against phishing attacks. With DNS-layer security and real-time threat intelligence, Cisco Umbrella detects and neutralises potential threats right from the start, ensuring a robust and coordinated response to emerging threats. 

Email Security with Advanced Malware Protection

Cube Cyber enhances email security by integrating Email Security with Advanced Endpoint Protection, providing a formidable defence against spam, phishing emails, and malicious attachments. This proactive measure ensures that your email communications stay secure and free from potential threats. 

Is your business ready to outsmart phishing attacks? Our mission at Cube Cyber is to support your business in preventing, detecting, and responding to any kind of cyber threat. 

Contact us to get started protecting your business. 

Book your free Cyber Security consultation today and let Cube Cyber guide you towards a safer digital future. 

In fact, SME’s could have an even greater level of risk against them, as they often will not have sufficient cyber protection. Criminals know this and will take advantage of more vulnerable systems. SME’s can also work with larger corporations too, and hackers will try to get into these large organisations via a vulnerability in the smaller businesses network.

Smaller enterprises may not have the large budgets, the knowledge/ expertise or the time and resources to commit to a decent cyber security plan. This could end up being a deadly mistake. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance small businesses will go bust after 6 months of a cyber breach. Many SME’s simply underestimate the chance of a cyber attack, as well as how a serious data breach could effect the company.

The key? Awareness, knowledge, and prevention. The best way to stay in tune with the current top cyber attacks is to be in the know about what type of attacks are out there. Once you know what to look for, the easier they will be to spot. Ensuring you have a decent cyber security protection is also vital. So, what are the top cyber attacks companies are facing right now?

Phishing attacks

The age-old phishing attack. This one has been around since the beginning and, unfortuanlty, it is not going away anytime soon. In fact, phishing attacks are becoming even more sophisticated with the advance in technology. So, what are phishing attacks?
Cyber criminals will send an email, text message, or message via social media, often imitating a well known company, and request that you click on a link, update payment or login details, or sign-up to something, inadvertently giving away your private details or money.

The messages or emails sent are usually very convincing and create a sense of urgency such as ‘your subscription is almost up, enter your card details to keep this service’, etc. They will use similar wording, colours, logos, and email address as the real site, making it easy for someone to be convinced.

Phishing attacks are the biggest threat to most businesses, with 90% of all data breaches being caused by such attacks. SME’s also need to watch out for spear phishing attacks, similar, but instead of a generic email that is sent out to hundreds of users at a time, a spear phishing email will be sent to a specific person. The attackers will have researched the person they want to imitate (often CEO’s or other executives higher up in the company) and will pretend to send an email from that person.

They may send an email to employees of the company, pretending to be the CEO and saying a payment needs to be sent urgently to such and such. Because the name, logo, wording, everything is in the same style as the real person, users can be easily misled.
Good cyber awareness is crucial to help employees recognise a phishing attack. Installing a next-generation firewall can help to filter out malicious websites and traffic.

Lack of knowledge

You can have all the best security protection you want, but this means little if staff members lack any knowledge of cyber security. As we have seen from the previous paragraphs, phishing attacks are the most common cyber attack out there. Now, if staff members have no awareness of phishing attacks, how much more likely are they to click on a malicious link or send an ‘urgent’ payment? The more employees know about the most common attacks, the easier it will be to spot them before it is too late.

Even the smallest of businesses can still hold a good deal of customer information and financial data, and for this reason, organisations of every size should at least have a basic knowledge of cyber security. Staff members should have training in cyber security practices, attack simulation and be aware of common cyber attacks to watch out for. This training should be ongoing and revised as new attacks emerge.

DDoS Cyber Attack

DDoS stands for ‘Distributed Denial of Service’. These attacks will disrupt a website, server, or network with a huge amount of web traffic, so users are refused access to it. DDoS attacks can be complicated, and the cyber criminal will often start and stop them, to confuse businesses or to hide the fact that an attack is even happening.

Websites may be forced to go offline, which will disrupt online sales, leading to huge losses, particularly as these cyber attacks can last from 6 to 24 hours. Using a good DDoS mitigation service and having a plan of action for this type of attack is a great way to eliminate some of the traffic overloading the site.

Malware

Malware attacks are another common threat facing small and medium enterprises. It is often used alongside other type of attacks, for example a malicious code embedded into a phishing email. Malware can be injected into your system via a malicious website or download, or by connecting to an infected device.

Customer and company data can be easily extracted in malware attacks and it can even damage devices, with expensive repairs to match. With customer data at risk, businesses need to ensure they are complying with relevant government data regulations, or you could be at risk from a costly fine.

Endpoint protection is advised for all devices, including personal devices. This will help protect every access point and stop data being encrypted.

BYOD

Bring your own device (BYOD) is becoming increasing common during the pandemic. With more employees working from home on their own devices, the risk of a malware or virus attack is only increased. Personal devices do not often have the right amount of protection as a company device. This can be seen as an easy way in for hackers.

Personal devices that are not properly protected are prone to cyber attacks, which can lead to the hacker gaining access to your company’s entire network and files.

Setting up a good cyber policy for what employees can work on/ send over the internet is a great start. For sensitive data, ensure staff members are not using public Wi-Fi and are using a VPN (virtual private network) to send those files. This will make sure IP address remain hidden and company data is encrypted.

Inside threats

Rouge employees, contactors, business associates or disgruntled former staff members can actually be a huge threat to a business. They have the means to get into company networks and may have access to sensitive data. Through this access, an insider threat can cause real harm to a business.

Keeping employees trained in cyber awareness will prevent any attacks from ignorance and only allowing access to the most sensitive data to trusted staff members. You should stop any accounts of former employees that may still be active and monitor active accounts for malicious activity.

Ransomware

Ransomware are common cyber attacks that have been around for years. Cyber criminals will hack into a network or device, gain access to private information and then encrypt that data. The only way the business can get the data back is by paying a ransom, after which they will be given an encryption key to secure the files back. A development of the ransomware attack is hackers may now threaten to publish sensitive data online to ensure the ransom money is paid.

This can be a real threat for businesses, particularly if private customer information is released on the dark web and sold. The company will then be liable for a possible breach of data protection laws, and an incoming large fine.

This is why backing up your data is absolutely crucial. If you have a backup of your data, then you can rest assured you still have access to it (it being published online is a different matter however). Regular backups should be completed and systematic checks that your backup system is working, are also necessary.

Advanced endpoint protection is also recommended. This will provide protection for devices and help to stop criminals encrypting data.

Conclusion

As said at the beginning of this post, awareness, knowledge, and prevention are the best measures to protect your business from a cyber attack. Having a good all-round security policy, as well as active cyber protection is the best way to ensure your business is protected as it should be.

For more information on how we can help your business, please talk to an expert at Cube Cyber today. We can help evaluate the specific needs for your business.

Many smaller enterprises do not even know where to start with preparing a cyber defence plan or what things are of most importance when creating one. In this post we will address the key components to establishing a good cyber incident response plan.

Risk Assessment

A risk assessment is one of the first things you should look at. You will not be able to say what cyber security measures you need until you know what risks are specific to your business. Whether you are updating an old cyber defence plan or starting from scratch, you should look at all the common cyber attacks especially those relevant to your business. The Australian gov website has good articles for assessing cyber risks.

The most common attacks are phishing and spear phishing attacks, malware, and ransomware, but you should also consider developing attacks such as deepfakes and vulnerabilities with 5G and artificial intelligence (AI).

For each type of cyber threat, you should assess how big a risk it is to your business and how each attack would affect the company. You should also look at each aspect of the busines, example sales, marketing, finance and prioritise which sectors are most vulnerable. Identify the staff members who have access to the most sensitive company information and re-evaluate whether every one of those people needs that access. Only trustworthy staff who absolutely need sensitive company information to do their jobs, should be allowed access to minimise the risk of any accidental (or intentional) breaches.

During the risk assessment, you should not only be assessing the cyber risks to your business but the vulnerabilities already in your company’s network or systems. Are there any holes in your cyber security? Are staff members working from unprotected personal devices? All these weak points can be an easy way for cyber criminals to gain access to your network.

You should determine the likelihood of each attack, how much such attack would impact the business and the threat level of attacks (low, medium, high).

Early Warnings

Your cyber defence plan should include early warnings on how to recognise a cyber-attack. Phishing attacks are the most common attack on businesses (up to 90% in fact), but these are the types of attack we can prevent. Human error is the most common reason behind a data breach. As phishing and spear phishing attacks are evolving to be more sophisticated, the easier it is for employees to become fooled.

However, if staff are professionally trained in the most common attacks, they may become better at spotting a suspicious email. Sometimes it is the smallest of things that will give a dodgy email away, such as a change in just one letter in an email address. If staff members are on the lookout for such details, they are far less likely to open a malicious site or download link. Education and ongoing training should be part of your cyber incident response plan and company culture.

Prevention Measures

First of all, you should be aware of every protection measure in the business and what it does. You need to know which applications are installed on which devices and so on. Keep an account of every piece of software you are using and every update.
Once you know what cyber risks are a threat to your business and the software you are already using, you can re-evaluate. Is it enough, or do you need further protection? Prevention measures should be analysed an implemented within the business.

Common preventative measures are:
– Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
– Firewalls
– Endpoint protection
– Virtual private networks (VPN)
– Email security
– Security monitoring
– Cloud security

Whether you have an in-house cyber security team or you are outsourcing to an expert firm, you will need to make sure the cyber protection systems are secure and up to date. Any system bugs need to be fixed and patch work should be implemented where necessary. Checks of all cyber systems should be tested regularly to ensure everything is running correctly. Proper monitoring of all cyber security measures should be carried out to ensure you are seeing potential threats in real time.

Incident Recovery

Your cyber defence plan should include how you intend to respond to a cyber incident. Communication is key, so there should be a team, or several staff members assigned to deal with an attack. Each person should be assigned a role of how to execute the plan, to avoid confusion and havoc.

If customer data has been breached, then you will probably need to consult data protection laws. For this reason, having a plan for public statements is a good idea. Having these statements written out in advance puts you in a much better, calmer and more controlled environment then quickly whipping up a panicked statement that is not as thought through.

The cyber defence plan should include how you intend to report the breach via event logs, including the time of the attack, how it was implemented and the communications between the team.

Conclusion

A major data breach can be devasting to any size business, but particularly for smaller enterprises. The idea of cyber attacks can be scary, but by having a plan in place will safeguard your data as much a possible and put you in a better position to be able to control the attack.

Creating a cyber defence plan is crucial in preventing cyber crime to your organisation and being organised if an attack does occur. If you would like more information on how an expert team like Cube Cyber can help you, then please check our website for more information.

We are a dedicated team of professionals who provide expert cyber advice to businesses of all sizes. We have many different solutions to prevent cyber attacks and would love to hear see we can help you and your team.

In the past, businesses only had to really worry about the physical security on their business, easily implemented by security gates and CCTV cameras. In recent years however, there is a new threat. One that we cannot see but it is very real and potentially even more damaging.

Cyber crime is on the rise and attacking Australian businesses. In fact, according to a post by Infosecurity during the first six months of 2020 alone, ransomware payments doubled. With hackers finding new ways to compromises organisations, these ransom demands are likely to increase.

Scott Morrison cyber attack

Back in June 2020, an attack on Scott Morrison’s government was carried out by a state-sponsored actor. This attack was not just on the prime minister but on all levels of government from the healthcare industry, education, political sectors, and other primary sectors in the infrastructure.

It is unclear whether these state-actors got what they came for or what they will do with the information. Reasons for foreign state-actors infiltrating other governments could be to send a warning, to spy, find out sensitive information or research, or to steal data for financial gain.

Whatever the reason behind this attack, it only goes to show that even the most high-profile of organisations can be the victim of cybercrime. Whether you are a large government agency or an individual running a small business, cyber security needs to be a priority.

Increasing vulnerabilities in cyber security Australia

Why are there increasing cyber security attacks on Australia? Cyber security in Australia needs to be at the top of every organisation’s priority list. Australian businesses have money to steal. A wealthy economy that makes use of the latest technologies will always be at risk from harmful cyber threats.

In the current situation with the pandemic, we are seeing even more cyber threats to Australian businesses. In April 2020, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) reported an increased in the amount of COVID-19 themed cyber attacks. Hackers and cyber criminals are taking advantage of the fear and uncertainty of coronavirus, as well as the increased in people working remotely.

For smaller businesses, where the level of cyber security may be limited, this can put SME’s at a greater risk. For smaller business check out this helpful graphic from the government site on best cyber practices.

The ACSC has recently warned the healthcare industry of the latest attacks that have been seen rising throughout the pandemic. One of these threats is SDBBot Remote Access Tool (RAT). This piece of malware is used by criminals to remotely take over multiple systems within an organisation. Hackers will go through the system and copy any sensitive information they can use to sell or blackmail the victim. Another recent attack is named Cl0p ransomware. Once a hacker has gained access using RAT, they can then use Cl0p to encrypt the organisations files to make them unreadable (in order to charge a ransom).

October 2020 saw German company Software AG fall victim to this attack. The hackers demanded US$20 million in ransom. The company’s data was leaked online after they did not pay the ransom.

Cyber threats are also increased with many staff members country-wide now working from home, often using insecure devices such as smartphones, personal laptops and devices used via the Internet of Things (IoT). When using insecure devices or networks, the chance for a data breach is greatly increased.

The more applications, devices, systems, networks, and Wi-Fi we use, the more chance of malware being infected into businesses. Once a company has been compromised, it is at risk from a ransomware attack, stolen money, damage to internal systems and devices, customer information being leaked, identity theft and more. If personal customer data has been leaked, you may also be facing more hefty fines for breaking data protection laws. Risking a cyber attack is simply not worth it.

What is the Government doing in cyber security?

The 2020 cyber security strategy from the Australian government has said it will invest $1.67 billion in cyber security, over the next ten years. The strategy outlines detailed advice for individuals, SME’s, large corporations, and government sectors.
There are three sectors the report details, where cyber security practices and different approaches need to be put in place: government, businesses, and the community.

Government

• Safeguard essential infrastructure, crucial services, and families
• Tackle cyber-crime, together with the dark web
• Protect government information and systems
• Sharing cyber threat intelligence
• Keep cyber security alliances strong
• Help organisations to implement cyber security practices
• Improve resources for cyber security

Businesses

• Enhance standard cyber protection for critical services
• Advise SME’s of best cyber security measures
• Deliver secure merchandise and services to customers
• Develop trained personnel in cybersecurity
• Monitor and stop attempted malware hacks

Community

• Advise and guide individuals on cyber security
• Make familiar buying choices
• Ensure cyber incidents are reported
• Know how and where the find cyber support

The report documents clear advice and guidance for individuals, businesses, and government sectors. They will do this by providing advice on the latest cyber threats, how to keep your business and devices secure, including the Internet of Things (IoT), and by stating clear obligations for businesses.

Each sector will have a role to play. Governments need to ensure they are protecting the most essential infrastructure and Australian businesses. Business themselves should make sure their products and customer data are made secure. Individuals need to stay vigilant and to understand the cyber threats on the web, before releasing any personal data or buying goods online.

The 2020 Australian cyber security strategy provides all Australian’s and organisations the tools they need to stay cyber secure. The strategy hopes to build trust and awareness of cyber security attacks in Australia and to advise on how to deal with those attacks. By addressing the community and organisations as a whole, this guidance provides a valuable tool for everyone to implement good cyber security measures, whether at home or work.

Cyber Security protection from Cube Cyber

Here at Cube Cyber, we are passionate about protecting businesses of all sizes. We believe in going that extra mile to protect our customers businesses. We build lifelong partnerships and provide the best protection to our customers.
For more information about our services please visit our contact page.

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Have you ever thought about what you could lose if your business were to go offline from a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, or if your employees could not work on files after they have been hacked into and encrypted? What would just one single day of not being able to work cost your company?

You would not leave your house or your car before locking it first, so why not protect the most important aspect of your business- the money making. Cyber security should not be thought of as another chunk out of the budget, but an essential tool to protect the core of the business. Cyber security and revenue really do go hand in hand.

Many companies, particularly small businesses, and SME’s, see cyber security risk as something that may or may not happen to them, perhaps not considering the full implications of what a cyber attack would have on their organisation.

Businesses no matter the size are at a risk of all kinds of cyber threats from phishing attacks (the number one and most common cyber attack), ransomware attacks, DDoS threats, malware attacks and more. These cyber threats are ever-growing and are always being developed to become even more sophisticated. It is vital that whatever the size of your organisation, cyber security risk is taken into account and taken seriously. But how do we do this?

How businesses can calculate the risks

A cyber security risk assessment is a vital start for any business looking to purchase cyber security. Before you know which solutions will work for your company, you must first assess the risks. Every organisation should individually access their own risks, as this of course will vary from business to business. The Gov website has more information here.

By looking at the risks and performing a security assessment, you can determine the strengths and weaknesses of your systems, any weakness or vulnerability holes in your systems and how effective your current cyber security plan is working. From here, you will be in a better position to implement practical solutions in the right areas.

When calculating the cost of potential cyber security solutions, you should ask yourself what it would cost if your company went down for just one day. What would you lose in sales, revenue, potential new customers, even reputation? Work this out, and you may find that the cost of a single day is the same or greater than the yearly cost of cyber security protection. Those not willing to invest in the right cyber security solutions are taking a huge risk, particularly for SME’s who often find it hard to even recover at all from a cyber incident.

When completing a cyber security risk assessment, you need to identify the main cyber threats to your company. Most businesses all have the potential to be a victim of common cyber attacks, such as phishing, malware and ransomware attacks, but some organisations may be more likely to face other types of attack. For example, a government organisation may be at extra risk from cyber espionage or the healthcare industry may be at risk of advanced domain hijacking or DDoS attacks.

Once you have a list of the most vulnerable threats, you will need to determinate how each of those attacks would affect your business.

• If your files were encrypted in a ransomware attack, would you have backups of that data?
• And what would the implications be if any sensitive files were to be uploaded to the dark web?
• How would you deal with data protection laws?
• If hackers were able to take your ecommerce site offline for a day, or even a few hours, what would you gain to lose from loss of sales?
• If any of your machines are physically damaged, what would the costs be to replace them?
• How will you regain trust back in any customers who have lost faith in the reputability of your organisation?
• Do you have a recovery plan for a data breach, do your staff know what to do in the event of an attack?

These are all questions which will need to be answered. Once you have an idea of the threats to your business and how they will affect you, you can start to determine the right solutions to protect against each threat. Order the threat list in terms of the highest priority or threat level, to the lowest, putting security in place for the biggest threats first.

How a cyber security risk assessment can help

The biggest benefit, other that being protected from cyber threats, is the long term cost for an all-round cyber plan. The cost of cyber security will likely be lower than the cost of recovering from an attack. Applying a risk reduction point of view can help protect your businesses revenue and most valuable assets.

A complete cyber plan will protect your organisation against data breaches, comply with data protection regulations, prevent the loss of sensitive files, and help prevent malicious activity from entering your network. If you think that the cost of an annual cyber subscription may be the same as a day’s revenue, then it is really a no brainer.

At Cube Cyber, we can help both SME’s and large corporations come up with a complete cyber protection plan. We do all the hard work, finding the vulnerabilities in your systems, implementing advanced cyber solutions, and then monitoring and reporting back to you.

For any questions or details, please ask one of our cyber experts via our website.

By employing good simple Office 365 security methods, your company will be placed in a much better position from a cyber security point of view. As more and more staff members are working online and via cloud-based systems, it is important now more than ever to implement a good cyber security policy. By securing Office 365, you are helping to keep your data as safe as it can be online.

Below are some helpful Office 365 security tips and ways to keep your business secure.

Why Office 365 is a target

Firstly, why is Microsoft Office 365 a target for cyber crime? Well, being a highly popular cloud-based (and particularly email) application, Office 365 is a prime target for phishing attacks. Millions of user’s log-in to Office 365 everyday, which makes it easier for cyber criminals to hack into this one system. With so many people using the same system, the rewards for hackers can be just too tempting.

Back in 2016, Skyhigh Networks research reported that out of 600 enterprises and 27 million customers, 71% of corporate Office 365 users had at least one account compromised every month. As technology advances, so does the sophistication of phishing and other cyber attacks.

Every organisation is at risk of a security breach, but particularly small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s), who may have only limited security measures in place. Office 365 security measures may not be good enough, unless you pay extra for additional add-ons, such as the Advanced Threat Protection (ATP). This is available under the enterprise subscription or users can pay for each additional security measure separately. You can imagine this can become fairly costly, quickly.

For users wishing to add advanced cyber security measures for securing Office 365, hiring an expert firm to go through your individual needs could be a better option. Many businesses opt for managed security to help keep their customer and company data safe and secure.

Microsoft Office 365 security tips

Secure passwords

Having strong passwords is essential. Instead of getting staff members to change their passwords regularly or using complex passwords such as ‘!$4763&-(37653@’, you should encourage the use of passphrases. Although complex passwords such as the previous example are strong, there is always the chance for a computer system to generate millions of random letter and number sequences. Although it is unlikely that these complex passwords will be hacked, it is likely however that these passwords will be written down or saved somewhere by the user.

A passphrase is a series of random words, such as ‘fool foil village gravy2’ is much harder for computers to guess, and much easier for users to remember.

Staff training

There is no point in having added security measures if your staff do not know how to use them. Staff should be aware of the most common cyber security threats, the best Office 365 security measures, how to create a strong password and how to use the systems security measures on their devices.

Securing Office 365 should include training how to spot phishing attacks, as these are commonly reported. If staff know the signs to look for when spotting a phishing attack, it is far less likely that they will click on a malicious email link.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Using multi-factor authentication is one of the best Office 365 security measures you can initiate. Staff members will have to enter another form of login (usually a code sent to their phone), as well as their usual password and username.

This extra step (or multiple steps) adds another layer of security, even if passwords are not particularly strong. Hackers will find it hard to gain access to the user account, as they will not have the use of the user’s phone, which the code is sent to. MFA is one of the most effective ways to secure your organisation.

Protect against malware

Microsoft Office 365 does come with malware protection included; however it is worth going one step further by blocking attachments with file types frequently used by hackers. You should block any file types which are commonly used to inflict malware on systems, so the email is blocked before it even reaches a user’s account. Common suspicious filetypes usually come in the forms of EXE, CHM, CMD, COM, JS, BAT, CPL, VB and VBS.

How to block certain file types from your Office 365 application:

1. Go to the Security & Compliance Centre and go to the left navigation panel. Click ‘Threat Management’ then ‘Policy’, then ‘Anti-Malware’.
2. Click on the default policy and edit.
3. Click Settings.
4. Go to ‘Common Attachment Types Filter’ and switch to ‘On’. Below this, you are able to add or remove file types that are blocked. Then click save and you are done.

Protect against ransomware threats

Ransomware attacks are one of the most common attacks on businesses. Files will be encrypted by hackers, who will then demand a ransom (usually in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin), or even threaten to publish your files online. The files will be compromised until the ransom is paid and you are given the encryption key.

To help prevent ransomware, you are able to set up rules for email which will block the common file types associated with a ransomware attack. For a helpful video on how to do this, please see Microsoft’s training video.

You should also ensure that there is a warning given to staff members before they are about to open an email which contains macros (ransomware is often hidden within these). Be sure to install next-generation endpoint protection for added protection.

Use spam notifications

If a hacker is able to gain login credentials during a phishing attack, they may send out many emails to a user’s contacts. These emails will often contain spam or malicious links. Office 365 security measures should include setting up a notification for when an email has been sent out excessively from a user or contains spam. This will give you a heads up on suspicious activity and a chance to warn your staff members not to open an email sent from the compromised employees account.

Stop email auto-forwarding

If a cyber criminal has gained access to a user’s login credentials, they can easily set up auto-forwarding of that user’s emails. Malware can be attached to these emails, which will be sent out to other employees around your organisation.

To stop this, you can set up an email flow rule which prevents emails being automatically forwarded to an external network. Here is how to set up a mail flow rule:
1. Go to Exchange admin centre.
2. Click ‘mail flow category’ and then ‘rules’.
3. Click the t ‘+’ icon, and ‘create a new rule’.
4. Go down to ‘more options’ to see the full list.
5. Apply the settings you want in the table. Unless you want to change anything else, then leave the rest as the default option. Then save your settings.

At Cube Cyber we have a friendly and dedicated team of experts to help with Office 365 security, and much more. To talk to one of our security experts, please call 1300 085 366 or visit out contact page.

That being said, there will always be organisations more vulnerable to cyber attacks, simply because the nature of their business and the amount of data they hold. Here is a list of the most vulnerable sectors to cyber attacks.

Healthcare

According to Black Book Market Research in 2019, the cost of data breaches within the healthcare industry cost around $4 billion US dollars. The healthcare industry continues to be one of the most vulnerable to cyber attacks and often the healthcare staff are not fully aware of cyber security measures.

The healthcare sector stores millions of medical records electronically, including personal customer details and financial data. Records will contain, names, addresses, medical history, national identity numbers and billing information. This of course, is a magnet for cyber criminals. Worryingly, there has been an increase in COVID-19 related attacks throughout the pandemic. Scams include fake apps or websites and pandemic-related phishing emails.

IT

Man in the middle attacks can be used to target IT companies and cloud service providers, which can store personal information of customers ad staff. Hackers can intercept communications, gaining access to the network. From here, they are able to impersonate suppliers, and get their hands-on sensitive customer information.

Finance

Financial organisations are always going to be at risk due to the large amount of sensitive data they hold, such as customer bank account and credit card details. A Clearswift report in the UK in 2019, said that over 70% of financial organisations had been the victim of a cyber attack. Financial institutions face threat of targeted attacks from organised crime and state-sponsored actors. Employing advanced cyber security protection, it vital for banks, and other financial organisations. They need to stay up to date with payment methods and new technologies to stay secure.

Construction

With sensitive data such as blueprints, financial information, and personally identifiable information (PII) being stored in company systems, construction companies can be a target for ransomware and malware attacks. If all this information is available and stored on the same system, hackers can easily gain access to a wealth of private information to be used for a ransom.

SME’s

Small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) often underestimate the need for cyber security. This lack of knowledge, expertise, or willingness to invest in cyber protection can leave enterprises vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Smaller companies may not realise the risks, they may not think a cyber attack will happen to them or they may not have the budget or large teams to control cyber security. Hackers are drawn to SME’s as it is often easier for them to gain access to their systems, which can still hold a large amount of customer data and personal information.

HR

HR and recruitment companies can be vulnerable to cyber attacks because of the customer data they hold. HR systems can often hold details such as names, addresses, employee bank details, and other sensitive information. They can use this information to steal money through payroll fraud or gain customer credentials through a recruitment scam. HR sectors can be at risk of a ransomware attack if the hackers encrypt customer and employee personal information.

Government

Local, state, and federal governments can be particularly vulnerable to cyber threats because they are high profile, holding huge databases of information. Large government organisations are often targeted by foreign state-sponsored actors, as well as hacktivists looking to make a statement or release company secrets. Cyber criminals are also drawn to the amount of personal information there is to be gained by hacking into a government entity.

Education

Schools and universities store many types of personal information of staff and students, such as addresses, phone numbers, financial details, enrolment data and so on. University research sectors can also be vulnerable to cyber attacks due to the current research data they store. A constant turnover of students can make it hard to ensure good password measures and may make the education sector prone to phishing attacks.

At Cube Cyber, we have helped companies from a variety of different sectors, to implement an advanced and continued cyber security plan. We can help you to see where the vulnerabilities lie in your organisation and find practical security measures to help protect you from advanced cyber threats.

To find out more about how we can help your organisation, at a cost-effective price, then talk to one of our experts today. We are here to help you.

It goes on to say “The Maze Cartel was never exists and is not existing now. It can be found only inside the heads of the journalists who wrote about it”. But who were they and is this really the end?

Who are the Maze Ransomware Group?

The Maze ransomware group became known in 2019 after a series of high-profile attacks and threats to expose sensitive files from large organisations on the net. The Maze ransomware group were the first to blackmail users with threats to publish the victim’s data and information online, unless a ransom was paid.

Prior to this, ransomware groups would typically encrypt files with malware and then use ransom demands in order for the victim having to pay to get the files back. In this case the victim could either pay the money or risk losing the file and have to clear up the mess the cyber attacker caused.

The Maze ransomware group took this way of working a step further with the threat of publishing the sensitive and personal files online.

Organisations that have had documents published online include Canon, LG, Xerox, Southwire, Cognizant, Pensacola city government, the big pharmaceutical company ExecuPharm, Chubb cyber security, Tesla, Visser and many more.

This double layered tactic quickly became popular with other ransomware groups on the dark web, who again, used the threat of publishing files online to receive huge amounts of money from ransom. A wire manufacturer in Georgia was claimed to have been threatened to pay $6 million USD, even going up to $15 million USD for another unnamed organisation.

The Maze ransomware group’s earlier attacks consisted of exploit kits and various spam operations to take advantage of unsuspecting users. They then began to step up their game and specifically target high profile organisations, using virtual private networks (VPN) and remote desktop (RDP) servers to find vulnerabilities in big-brand companies. Failure to pay the ransom would end with large amounts of files being uploaded to the dark web, including personal information on employees and internal source codes.

Is the Maze Ransomware Group Really Shutting Down?

In their closing down statement, the Maze ransomware group says “Our world is shrinking in the recklessness and indifference, in laziness and stupidity. If you are taking the responsibility for other people money and personal data then try to keep it secure. Until you do that there will be more projects like Maze to remind you about secure data storage”. The group could indeed have made enough money for them to be able to shut down and close all operations, but as this statement suggests, ‘there will be more projects like Maze’.

The Maze group ran on an affiliate operation, meaning individual threat actors were able to cash in on a small percentage of the rewards. Maze affiliates are likely to simply move on to other ransomware groups, such as Egregor, thought to be a by-product of the Maze ransomware group.

This same group were emerging just as reports were starting to circulate around the closure of the Maze group- coincidence? Probably not. These ransomware criminals are likely to move on to better opportunities and the Maze group could potentially just be rebranding. There is no way to tell for sure. What we do know is that when one group shuts down, another one will open.

What New Threats are on the Rise?

With remote working becoming ever popular the risks of unsecure domains, weak passwords, more data sharing over the cloud, unprotected remote desktop protocol (RDP) and VPN’s, phishing attacks and malware threats are all on the rise.

Phishing attacks are becoming more sophisticated, fake COVID-19 related sites and scams are on the increase, networks are becoming less secure with people working from their kitchen tables and ransomware tactics are evolving.

The sophistication of such attacks is only ever going to increase, and cyber attackers will always be evolving their techniques. The time to update your security system is now.

At Cube Cyber we have a knowledgeable team of cyber experts to help you and your business. We have helped many organisations implement cost effective and advanced cyber security, to help stop these kinds of attacks.

For more information please get a quote with us today.