This season, give the gift of cyber security

It’s the time for celebration, giving, and connecting with loved ones. As organisations wind down for the year and employees take time off, what better way to show how much we care by helping them to ensure a safe and secure digital experience during the holidays.

Share the following tips, practices, and reminders to help protect everyone from cyber threats.

Update, update, update

• One of the simplest yet most effective steps you can take to help protect your digital assets is to strengthen your passwords. Consider updating your passwords to passphrases with uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
• Keep all your devices and software up to date. This helps ensures the devices have the latest security patches and protection against known vulnerabilities.
• Use this time to also back up your data in secure storage. In case of data loss, you can quickly recover valuable information
• Enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second piece of information in addition to password/passphrase.

Navigating the digital aisles

• Monitor financial statements and check that they reflect transactions you knowingly made. If you notice any suspicious transactions or discrepancies, report them immediately.

Click with caution

Be on the lookout for the following communications asking for personal information like login credentials or credit card information:

• Shipping companies asking for information to resolve problems in delivering a package or purchased items.
• Electronic greeting cards or promotions from senders unknown to you or unexpected correspondence from people you know requiring information to access the message, gift codes, or vouchers.
• Fake charities asking for donations

On-the-go cyber security

When travelling for the holidays, take note of the following tips:

• Public Wi-Fi while convenient is often less secure. If you must use public Wi-Fi be cautious about accessing sensitive information or making financial transactions.
• Consider using a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your internet connection.
• If you or your employees work remotely during the holidays, ensure the network that will be used is secure.

Report fraudulent or unusual activity

Consider using the ANZ App to report fraudulent or unusual activity. Log in to the ANZ App, tap Support, select the type of support, then tap Reporting Fraud or Identify Theft. 

If unable to access the ANZ App, call us - our team will be with you as soon as possible.

Business Customers using ANZ Transactive:

13 70 28  /  +61 3 8693 7153

Other resources

Visit the ANZ Security Centre on anz.com.

While cyber security is a year-round commitment, the holidays tend to introduce circumstances that make everyone more vulnerable to cyber threats. Taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity awareness, secure remote work environment, and protect data goes a long way to having a worry-free holiday season.

Disclaimer: This is provided as general information only and does not take into account your specific objectives/circumstances etc. Consider obtaining your own advice in respect of any matters raised here.