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< News Build Better Solutions by Incorporating MFT 22 July 2025 Solutions Architects play the critical role of translating complex business requirements into scalable, maintainable technology solutions. Their holistic view of their organisation’s information systems ensures that individual components — from databases and integration layers to user interfaces — work together seamlessly. However, amid the complex considerations for developing sophisticated new software solutions, it can be easy to overlook simple opportunities to also improve an organisation’s fundamental IT processes. For example: file exchange. Any solution which still relies on insecure scripts, ad-hoc FTP servers or email attachments is inherently less efficient and more risky than a solution which leverages Managed File Transfer (MFT) technology. Outdated file transfer approaches expose an organisation to data breaches, compliance violations, and painful troubleshooting cycles. A minimal incremental investment in MFT could transform those weak links into a strategic asset, delivering automated, auditable, and secure data flows that align perfectly with modern architecture patterns. Hidden Risks of Traditional File Transfer Legacy file-sharing methods carry hidden dangers: Unencrypted channels leave sensitive data exposed. Manual processes introduce human error and delays. Absence of centralised visibility hinders troubleshooting and governance. Ignoring these pitfalls increases operational overhead and jeopardises client trust. As a Solutions Architect, you hold the blueprint for resilient systems. And when it comes to security and reliability, file transfer can’t be an afterthought. Why MFT Deserves a Place in Your Architecture Integrating MFT early in your design delivers: Enhanced Security: End-to-end encryption, role-based access, and non-repudiation. Regulatory Compliance: Built-in audit trails, detailed reporting, and retention policies. Automated Workflows: Trigger-based transfers, retries, and notifications eliminate manual handoffs. Centralised Visibility: Dashboards and logs surface issues before they escalate. Seamless Scaling: Cloud or on-prem deployment adapts to seasonal or unpredictable load. By codifying file transfers as robust services, you unlock consistent performance and reduce risk across every project. Tips for Practical Integration Enhancing your solution with MFT is relatively straightforward. Define Requirements: Catalogue data types, transfer volumes, and compliance mandates. Evaluate Vendors: Compare security features, deployment models, and API support. Run a Pilot: Validate connectivity, throughput, and automation capabilities with sample workflows. Embed in CI/CD: Treat transfer jobs like code—version, test, and deploy with your pipeline. Train Stakeholders: Empower developers and operators with clear documentation and dashboards. Essential With hacking and data theft rampant across the globe, MFT is no longer a “nice-to-have” — it’s essential infrastructure. Weaving MFT into your solution blueprints elevates security, streamlines operations, and future-proofs data exchange. By baking MFT into your next project, your organisation’s architecture — and stakeholders — will thank you. Expert Local Help There’s no need to go it alone – or rely on overseas resources - when building MFT into your local solution. At Generic Systems Australia , we have many years of practical experience helping Australian and New Zealand IT teams simply and easily integrate MFT with their many and varied solutions. Please feel welcome to contact me to learn more. I’m always happy to have an obligation-free discussion. At Generic Systems Australia, we’re your local experts in Managed File Transfer. Previous Next

< News Fast OR Safe...? File Transfers can be both! 17 Mar 2024 Sending files externally...? Now it can be both Safe AND Easy! There was a time when ensuring your organisation’s file transfers were safe was a hassle… time-consuming, inconvenient, and requiring specialised technical skills. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. Ensuring your precious data can be safely shared within your organisation and with your external trading partners need no longer be complicated. In fact, the best data technologies save you time and money, and make data exchange easy . Here’s how. The Fast and the Fraught Hitting “send” is an everyday routine for most employees. Sending files to suppliers and customers is as easy as a couple of mouse clicks. However, each of these thousands of daily data transactions is a potential target for cybercriminals. The more ad-hoc and varied the file transfers, the greater the risks. Too often, organisations only realise their need for a more robust approach after they’ve experienced a costly data breach. Other times, data vulnerabilities become apparent when organisations want to start trading with partners who employ more stringent data safeguards... particularly in industries where there are strict data compliance requirements, such as healthcare, finance, transportation and defence. Failure to adhere to an industry's data security regime can lead to hefty fines and sanctions for both parties to the transaction. Solving for Ease AND Security Solutions such as managed file transfer (MFT), data loss prevention (DLP), data classification, and email security can automatically secure your organisation’s data, while simultaneously keeping your business humming. Better still, by automating thousands of routine file transfers, the best solutions increase an organisation’s efficiency by saving employees’ time and enabling them to focus on higher value-added work. How to Get Started In our experience, few organisations begin with a completely clean slate and zero data protection measures in place. Usually, some enterprising individuals will have independently employed varying degrees of security using free or low-cost consumer file transfer tools. Other employees may believe – incorrectly – that they’re securing their data by simply applying files’ “read-only” settings. A few may have gone a step further and narrowly limited who has access to their department's data. Unfortunately – aside from the inherent risks of using multiple incomplete and incompatible security approaches – siloed security measures like these can also inadvertently remove resources that knowledge workers need to conduct business. As a result, organisational efficiency is impeded, with critical information becoming too slow or difficult to access. A Holistic Approach to Data Exchange At Generic Systems Australia we help organisations embrace a whole-of-business approach which reduces risk and makes data more secure while keeping your business operations and relationships running smoothly and efficiently. A good starting point is considering the impact security policies and practices have on your customer and vendor relationships: How would a data breach impact your business’s reputation, bottom line and supplier relationships? Do the policies and tools you currently use hinder your employees’ effectiveness, efficiency and productivity? Could new technology speed up the actual delivery of critical information? Could new technology be simple enough to use that most employees could readily adopt it? The Human Factor The best data security measures are invisible and automated . We’ve found that the less organisations need to rely on employees to change their behaviour, the better the risk mitigation. But even so, educating employees on data security should be an element of an improved approach. Start by explaining why you need to put in place the new policies or tools. Employees who understand the high stakes of data theft and compliance breaches are much better disposed to taking ownership of managing data transfer risks. Then focus on education. By equipping your various department heads and business process owners with knowledge about secure data exchange approaches, you can help them make the right choices when they liaise with their various supply chain partners. A multi-phase approach, leveraging middle managers and key influencers in your organisation to champion best practices, is often best. Automatically Securing Everyday Data Ideally, we want our employees to be able to safely send and receive emails and attachments without the need for them to take any additional, time-consuming steps. MFT, DLP, data classification, and email security make that possible through advanced levels of automation. In combination, these technologies examine each data transfer event and thoughtfully apply policies such as encryption, auditing, user and recipient validation, redaction, etc. This way, employees do not have to manage any of those activities, and the data transfers are performed quickly, efficiently and securely. As workforces and their workplaces become physically more dispersed – sometimes in the office, sometimes from home, sometimes from a local café – this automated approach becomes more and more beneficial. Not only does it accelerate and streamline the process of transferring data, it also reduces the risk of human error. Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Data exchange is like the human circulatory system - unseen, but absolutely critical to your organisation’s ongoing vitality. Protecting and enhancing it is both necessary and worthwhile. At Generic Systems Australia, we’ve observed that moving to a more automated, secure and efficient approach can sometimes be stalled by the very “bloat” we discussed earlier. Taking out the too-many tools which have sprung up across an organisation’s silos can seem too complicated and time-consuming to tackle. However, there is an easy and relatively inexpensive way forward… A centralised tool, such as the class-leading GoAnywhere MFT with its dashboard-style interface, can provide a holistic approach. Rather than having separate tools for encryption, auditing, reporting and automating file transfers, GoAnywhere can handle it all. It even scales as your business grows. If you’d like to discuss making your organisation’s data transfers safer and easier, adding to your organisation’s productivity and bottom line, please feel free to contact our Business Manager, Bradley Copson, ( mail to: bradley@gensys.com.au ). He’ll be more than happy to offer you an obligation-free discussion, no-cost trial, or Proof of Concept. At Generic Systems Australia, we're your local experts in Secure Managed File Transfer. Previous Next

< News Aussie cyber staff “world’s most stressed”: survey 9 Oct 2024 Aussie cyber security workers are the world’s most stressed, according to a survey by international tech professional association ISACA. For its State of Cybersecurity 2024 report, ISACA surveyed 1,868 cyber security professionals from 102 countries, including Australia. They found that Australian cyber security workers are feeling more stressed in their jobs than their counterparts in any other country. Overly Complex, Under Resourced Respondents attributed the rising stress to Australia’s “increasingly complex threat landscape” and “continual under-resourcing” of their cyber security departments and roles. They reported lower budgets, higher hiring and retention challenges, and a more significant lack of prioritisation of cyber security risks than their global peers. Nearly half of all respondents believed their company’s cyber security budget was inadequate, and only a third expected it to be increased in the year ahead. As a result, most said they didn’t feel ready to combat the growing risk of a cyber-attack on their organisation. Burnout In a further worrying sign for Australian businesses, many cyber security professionals said the stress of their role had become so significant that they were considering moving on from their current organisation. Of those who had already left, 60% cited “stress” as the primary reason. ISACA’s Director of Professional Practices and Innovation, Jon Brandt, urged Australian employers to better mitigate the stress of their cyber defenders. “Employers (should) explore ways to support staff before burnout and attrition occur,” he said. ISACA said the increasing complexity of cyber attacks required additional effort, energy and intelligence from cyber professionals. It characterised the need to stay ahead of new technologies and digital weapons as “all-consuming”, and this explained why cyber pros in Australia were feeling the effects of increased stress in their roles. Most Australian respondents said they expected a cyber attack on their organisation during the next year. However, only 32% had a high degree of confidence in their team’s ability to detect and respond to the attack. Cyber Stress Relief Companies can take some of the load off their beleaguered cyber security staff by adopting automated, proactive and layered cyber defences. The goal is an always-on system which automatically secures, stores and transfers data, repelling cyberthieves before they gain access to company systems. The foundation of such an approach is a technology called “Managed File Transfer” (MFT). Paired with secure content engines and secure digital rights management, MFT is an optimal way to prevent data theft and cyber breaches. An MFT solution such as the class-leading GoAnywhere MFT keeps your organisation’s valuable data safe - at rest, and in transit. Coupled with an Advanced Threat Protection Bundle, it enables organisations to safely collaborate without exposing their systems or team to the risks of malware. This automated defence system protects your organisation’s data in three key ways: 1. It prevents files containing malware from being received, by scanning all inbound files and automatically stripping out embedded malware, triggered executables, scripts, or macros. 2. It blocks sensitive data from being shared, by inspecting file contents and stopping protected data from being shared, based on policies you define. 3. It redacts sensitive information from files before they are transferred, detecting and/or removing geotags, document properties, email addresses, and other metadata from documents. Local Help Available As your company’s stressed cyber professionals are signalling, today’s interconnected business environment makes cyber attacks inevitable. However, foiling these attacks no longer requires draining manual cyber surveillance. At Generic Systems Australia , we’ve helped hundreds of business leaders and IT teams across the Asia-Pacific region rest easier, knowing that their valuable data is protected by the automated sentries of GoAnywhere with Advanced Threat Protection. We can do the same for you. It’s surprisingly affordable, and our Migration Services mean you can keep running your business without disruption as we you transition to a more secure approach. In fact, we’re so confident that the capabilities and business case for installing an MFT solution stack up that we’ll even offer you a zero-cost Proof of Concept. If you’d like to help take the load off your cyber security team, and explore how your organisation can automate its data transfer security, please feel welcome to contact me . I’m always happy to have an obligation-free discussion. At Generic Systems Australia , we’re your local experts in Secure Managed File Transfer. Previous Next

< News How Load Balancing optimises your file transfers 30 Apr 2024 Network bottlenecks that cause business downtime are the bete noir of corporate IT teams. Businesswire found that 82% of companies experienced at least one downtime incident during the past three years… costing small businesses $660 per minute, and larger organisations $14,000 per minute. Load balancing is a key technique for keeping network traffic flowing. What is Load Balancing? Load balancing is key to “clustering”, where multiple systems work together as a single unit to help ensure high-availability, scalability, and reliability. It’s a technique which enables organisations to distribute workloads and network traffic across multiple servers or network interfaces in a computer cluster. Effective load balancing means that network traffic is always directed to servers which are “available”, should a particular server become overwhelmed or fail. Balancing workloads optimises the performance of systems and applications –– for example, a managed file transfer (MFT) solution for exchanging data –– preventing bottlenecks and other efficiency-sapping impacts. Why Load Balance for File Transfers? Delays in sending files can have significant negative ripple effects throughout an organisation. Incoming orders may not be received, or shipping may be delayed, leading to dissatisfied customers. Delayed financial transactions with trading partners may weaken an organisation’s supply chain. Load balancing helps organisations continue to operate ‘business as usual’ even when a system fails or is inundated with a heavy network workload. Other benefits of load balancing include: Scalability: Load balancers can help organisations adapt to growing and changing conditions and workloads without suffering adverse events. New servers can be seamlessly added to the cluster when more scalability is needed. Performance Optimisation : Traffic is routed to the server most capable of handling a given request based on location or server health. Redundancy: Organisations safeguard themselves, should one server become overloaded or fail, with load balancing enabling processing work to continue without interruption. Using Middleware and Active-Active Framework for Load Balancing A robust managed file transfer solution, such as Fortra’s GoAnywhere MFT, delivers critical load balancing and scaling when installed in a cluster. The solution’s load balancer, GoAnywhere Gateway, serves as both a reverse proxy and load balancer. When paired with Gateway as a load balancer, each inbound file server connection can be distributed to available systems in the environment. MFT workflows performed in a clustering environment gain increased performance and throughput. If a system within a cluster fails, GoAnywhere Gateway automatically routes all new trading partner connections to the remaining systems in the cluster. For mission critical environments and processes, this is an “active-active” framework providing high availability. Enhanced Security GoAnywhere Gateway also provides an extra security layer when exchanging data. The Gateway keeps file sharing services such as FTPS, HTTPS, SFTP servers and any documents secure in the private or internal network. No additional inbound ports need to be opened, which helps organisations meet compliance requirements such as those for PCI DSS, SOX, HIPAA, GLBA, as well as certain privacy laws. This round robin algorithm essentially works like this: For each new FTP, FTPS, or SFTP connection from a trading partner, the Gateway distributes that session sequentially to the next FTP/FTPS/SFTP server within the cluster. HTTP/S, however, is a stateless protocol. It uses the round robin algorithm but will persist each connection for a time to maintain session integrity. HTTP/S sessions typically are only served by one HTTP/S server at a time. If you’d like to discuss how your organisation can reduce downtime through MFT load balancing, please feel welcome to contact our Business Manager, Bradley Copson (mail to: bradley@gensys.com.au ). He’s always happy to have an obligation-free discussion, explain how simply we can transition you from outdated software and approaches, and offer you a zero-cost Proof of Concept. Generic Systems Australia Your Local Experts in Secure Managed File Transfer Previous Next

< News GoAnywhere MFT: the duct tape in your IT Toolbox 11 Sept 2025 There are few modern inventions more versatile than duct tape. It can patch a leaky pipe, hold together a broken car bumper, or even fashion a makeshift wallet. GoAnywhere Managed File Transfer (MFT) is to enterprise data workflows what duct tape is to the physical world: a versatile inclusion in your IT toolbox, which you’ll find useful in a pinch, and in all kinds of unexpected ways. GoAnywhere MFT quietly binds together the jagged edges of digital infrastructure. It secures, automates, and streamlines file transfers across disparate systems—whether you're dealing with legacy mainframes, cloud APIs, or finicky partner protocols. Reliable Under Pressure Duct tape earned its reputation by reliably working under pressure, across materials, without drama. GoAnywhere MFT operates in a similar spirit: it’s the IT team's go-to when compliance deadlines loom, when FTP scripts fail at 2 a.m., or when a new vendor insists on AS2 transfers with custom encryption. It may be not flashy, but it’s indispensable—quietly enforcing governance, logging every transaction, and adapting to whatever format the situation demands. Just as importantly, both duct tape and GoAnywhere MFT are trusted because they scale to the size of the problem. You can use a strip of duct tape to seal a lunchbox or wrap an entire canoe. Likewise, GoAnywhere can handle a single secure upload or orchestrate thousands of transfers across hybrid environments, all while maintaining audit trails and access controls. In a world of IT that’s increasingly complex and interconnected, having a tool on hand that’s both rugged and adaptable isn’t just useful—it’s essential. And that’s why so many IT departments choose to keep GoAnywhere MFT handy. Add GoAnywhere to your Toolbox At Generic Systems Australia we’re experts in helping Australian and NZ organisations take advantage of GoAnywhere MFT’s versatility. In fact, we’ve assisted businesses of all sizes to protect their customer data and secure their file transfers, keeping their operations running smoothly. If you have an hour to spare, we can easily demonstrate the power and ease of use of GoAnywhere’s many capabilities. Simply contact me and I’ll be happy to set up an obligation-free chat. Previous Next

Our Annual Upgrade and Health Check Service provides dedicated resources to update your organisation’s GoAnywhere environment to the latest version. One of our experienced local Technical Consultants will review your organisation’s upgrade strategy, conduct a Health Check of your system and consult with you on any risks and compatibility issues potentially associated with your upgrade. Review product datasheet below: RESOURCES HOME

< News Black 'Fileday' 29 Nov 2023 Australian shoppers were tipped to spend $6.36B across the Black Friday weekend, according to the Australian Retailers Association.The surge in sales has in turn created a tsunami of data transfers, as businesses share orders, files and information with their supply chains.For some businesses, it will be a stressful period. But others - those who entrust their file transfers to GoAnywhere MFT - will surf the data tsunami with ease, as GoAnywhere conveys all their valuable files reliably and securely.(And of course, our local technical team at Generic Systems Australia will always be on hand to share our unparalleled MFT expertise with our customers.) Previous Next

< News MFT as your Middleware! 4 Nov 2025 Modern enterprises are constantly navigating the flow of information between intricate internal systems and external cloud services. Regardless of whether that flow is inside or outside of the corporate firewall, the need for secure and efficient data transfer remains paramount. Traditional solutions like Extract Transfer Load (ETL) systems help process and store data within a central warehouse, while Enterprise Service Buses (ESBs) serve as hubs that manage and monitor data and service flows across various applications. Yet, despite their strengths, these tools fall short when it comes to security—especially when third-party interactions are involved. This gap between integration and security has left organisations searching for a more unified approach. More than MFT Enter GoAnywhere MFT , a solution which redefines what managed file transfer can be. Unlike conventional MFT platforms, GoAnywhere functions as a lightweight ETL, a capable ESB, and a robust MFT tool—all rolled into one. What truly distinguishes GoAnywhere is its unwavering focus on security, making it one of the few platforms that can meet the growing demand for secure and seamless data exchanges both within and beyond enterprise boundaries. GoAnywhere offers the same automation and integration capabilities found in ETL, ESB, and Enterprise Application Integration solutions. It enables organisations to connect internal systems with cloud-based resources and external partners, including banks, credit card providers, financial data services, foreign exchange markets, and retirement or pension systems. When needed, GoAnywhere can also act as middleware, integrating with existing ETL setups while managing system connections, securing communications, and streamlining integration processes. Even for enterprises already equipped with ETL tools, GoAnywhere enhances data transfer security by introducing multiple layers of protection. Its architecture includes a multi-tier setup featuring the GoAnywhere Gateway, which operates as a reverse proxy in the DMZ to shield data from internet threats. Additionally, organisations can deploy a Secure ICAP Gateway—a deep content inspection engine that blocks malicious content from infiltrating through third-party interfaces. Security is further reinforced through integration with Fortra Threat Brain, a comprehensive threat intelligence database that proactively identifies and blocks suspicious IP addresses before they can breach the network. On-Prem, Off-Prem... Anywhere Another standout feature of GoAnywhere is its ability to bridge the divide between on-premises systems and cloud-based applications. Unlike typical SaaS middleware platforms, which often struggle to accommodate legacy systems, segmented networks, and hybrid environments, GoAnywhere centralises and secures file transfers across all these domains. It’s not limited to one environment, making it a truly versatile solution for enterprises with complex infrastructures. For organisations aiming to enhance operational efficiency, GoAnywhere offers a high-performance middleware platform that supports secure and high speed data transfers. It interfaces with a wide array of systems, applications, and cloud services, protects files from malware, enforces zero trust principles regardless of file destination, and ensures data remains outside the DMZ. Recognised globally as a leading MFT solution, GoAnywhere is celebrated for its security, adaptability, and ability to operate wherever and however enterprises need it. It’s increasingly becoming the connective tissue between disparate systems and workflows. Local Help On Hand At Generic Systems Australia , we bring years of experience helping IT teams across Australia and New Zealand optimise their file transfers and safeguard their data using GoAnywhere MFT. From assessing legacy systems to offering zero-cost Proof of Concepts and seamless Migration Services, we ensure businesses can transition to more secure practices without disruption. If you’re interested in exploring how GoAnywhere can benefit your organisation, feel free to reach out for an obligation-free conversation. At Generic Systems Australia, we’re proud to be Australia’s and New Zealand’s experts in Managed File Transfer. Previous Next

RESOURCES INDEX Independent Info-Tech MFT Quadrant Report (2025) For the 3rd consecutive year, respected tech analysts Info-Tech have evaluated the most popular MFT software and vendors, and found that GoAnywhere is the top MFT solution. To receive a complimentary copy of their 2025 report, simply submit your email address below and we'll email you back a PDF. Read More "MFT's Role in Business: IT Leaders Weigh In" eBook In this eBook, nine leading IT and security professionals share their real-world experiences of leveraging GoAnywhere's many capabilities in their businesses. Read More New Cyber Laws Passed - What Australian Businesses Need to Know and Do What Australian organisations need to know - and do - to meet their new obligations under the nation’s new Cyber Security legislation. Read More Use APIs to Accelerate Your MFT's ROI How to boost the ROI of your MFT solution - and scale its deployment - by pairing it with APIs. Enhance automation, integration, and customisation. Read More MFT Local Buyer's Guide Ask the right questions, and consider the key issues, to identify the right Managed File Transfer solution for your organisation. Read More Independent Info-Tech MFT Quadrant Report (2024) Once again, respected tech analysts Info-Tech have evaluated the most popular MFT software and vendors, and found that GoAnywhere is the top MFT solution. Here’s their 2024 independent report. Read More 2024 Cybersecurity Insiders Survey Fortra's "2024 State of Cybersecurity Survey" shares the invaluable insights of more than 400 cybersecurity professionals from across the globe, including many in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region. Read More Best Practices for Cloud MFT Most modern organisations rely to an extent on the Cloud as they transfer files between employees, trading partners, and customers. Here are best practices for safeguarding your data on its way to, from and in, the Cloud. Read More Meeting CDR Requirements Australia’s Consumer Data Right (CDR) requires businesses to carefully plan how they handle, store and disclose the consumer data they collect. This primer explains your obligations, the breaches that can occur, and a strategy to avoid them. Read More Secure Your Cloud Data with MFT How a robust Managed File Transfer (MFT) solution helps protect your data transfers – in transit and at rest – without compromising the convenience or cost-effectiveness of moving your business to a cloud-based environment. Read More Why Automating Encryption and Decryption Makes Good Cybersecurity Sense How does encryption and decryption work? This handy primer explains. Read More Think Like a Hacker To win the fight against cybercriminals, it helps to think like a hacker. Read More Annual Upgrade and Health Check Service Take the time, effort and risk out of ensuring your GoAnywhere environment is up to date and running smoothly! Read More GoAnywhere Product Datasheet GoAnywhere MFT is the world’s leading Managed File Transfer solution. This datasheet summarises its key technical features. Read More Advanced Threat Protection Product Datasheet GoAnywhere MFT is the world’s leading Managed File Transfer solution. This datasheet summarises its key technical features. Read More GoAnywhere Gateway Product Datasheet GoAnywhere Gateway provides an additional layer of security when exchanging data with your trading partners, enabling you to keep file sharing services and documents safely in your private/internal network. Read More GA Modules for Licencing Product Datasheet GoAnywhere is a robust and complete managed file transfer solution. Modules are available that can satisfy a wide array of file transfer requirements –– you can choose to license only the modules you currently need, and easily unlock additional modules if necessary. Read More Threat Brain Product Datasheet “Threat Brain” is a unique and innovative addition to GoAnywhere MFT which keeps the world’s leading Managed File Transfer solution a step ahead of cyber thieves and competing MFT solutions. Read More Compliance Product Datasheet Every organisation needs to meet stringent industry, state and federal data and privacy laws and regulations. GoAnywhere is the secure file transfer solution built to satisfy these demanding Compliance requirements. Read More 'An Introduction to GoAnywhere' (video) In this brief video, our Business Manager Bradley Copson overviews GoAnywhere's key features and benefits. Read More 'Secure MFT Threat Protection Bundle' (video) Our Secure MFT Threat Protection Bundle can automatically catch and kill email threats before they enter or leave your organisation. This brief video shows how. Read More Independent Info-Tech MFT Quadrant Report (2022) Respected tech analysts Info-Tech evaluated the most popular MFT software and vendors. Read More

< News Secret Ransomware Payments Rife: Survey 19 Aug 2024 Pervasive cyberattacks are leading most companies to pay ransoms and break their “Do Not Pay” policies, according to recent research. A poll of IT and security decision-makers conducted by Cohesity found that that most companies have paid a ransom in the last two years. In fact, 79% of respondents said their company had been the victim of a ransomware attack during the second half of 2023. The breadth of an organisation’s “attack surfaces” depends on the size and scope of its data environments. However, 78% of respondents said their data security risk had increased faster than the growth in the data they manage. They also said their organisation’s cyber resilience and data security strategies had not kept pace with emerging threats – only 21% had full confidence in their company’s cyber resilience strategy. Slow Recovery, Lack of Testing Cyber resilience is a critical element of business continuity, and encompasses a company’s ability to recover their data and restore business processes when they suffer a cyberattack or IT outage. Key insights from the survey on this point included: All respondents said they need more than 24 hours to recover data and restore business processes. Only 7% said their company could recover data and restore business processes within 1-3 days. 35% said they could recover and restore in 4 to 6 days, while 34% need 1-2 weeks, and 23% need more than 3 weeks. Only 12% of those surveyed said their company had stress-tested their data security, data management, and data recovery processes or solutions in the six months prior to being surveyed. 46% hadn’t tested in more than 12 months. Secret Ransom Payments While 84% had a “do not pay” policy, Cohesity reported that 94% of respondents divulged that their company would pay a ransom to recover data and restore business processes. 5% said “maybe, depending on the ransom amount”. Two thirds said their company would be willing to pay over US$3M to recover data and restore business processes, and a third said their company would be willing to pay over $5M. Don’t Pay: Prevent! The volume, frequency, and sophistication of ransomware attacks will only increase. And paying ransoms only encourages cyberthieves to escalate their efforts. Worse, if ransoms are seen as “easy money”, new miscreants will be tempted to acquire ransomware tools from the dark web and join the cyber crimewave. Rather than investing in ransoms, organisations need to invest in their cyber resilience. That starts with keeping thieves at bay - protecting valuable data where it is stored, and when it is transferred – and building organisational capability in rapidly responding to and recovering from cyberattacks. Building cyber resilience need not be a drag on an organisation’s efficiency. Automation can ensure data is protected at rest and in motion, requiring little to no manual management. For example, Managed File Transfer (MFT) solutions such as the class-leading GoAnywhere MFT encrypt data at rest and in transit, complying with the highest data security standards (including the US’s and Europe’s HIPAA, HITECH, PCI DSS, SOX, and GDPR). MFT manages inbound and outbound file transfers across an organisation, using industry-standard file transfer protocols such as SFTP, FTPS, and AS2 to send files securely, and encryption standards such as Open PGP and AES to protect data in transit and at rest. Advanced Threat Protection and Adaptive Loss Prevention add a further layer of defence. SFT Threat Protection enables safe collaboration with external parties, preventing malware from entering your organisation, and reducing opportunities for employees to lose or mishandle sensitive data. Local Expertise Ready to Help Generic Systems Australia are your local experts in Managed File Transfer and Advanced Threat Protection. We’ve assisted hundreds of organisations across the Asia-Pacific region to secure their data, keep cybercriminals at bay… and keep ransomware off the books. If you’d like to discuss improving your cybersecurity, please feel welcome to contact me , Bradley Copson. I’m always happy to have an obligation-free discussion, explain how simply we can transition you from outdated software and approaches, and offer you a zero-cost Proof of Concept. About the survey: Cohesity’s findings are based on a survey of 902 IT and Security decision-makers (split as close to 50:50 as possible) commissioned by Cohesity and conducted by Censuswide. Survey respondents were polled from businesses in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The top five industries selected by respondents as best representing the industry their company operates in were: IT & Telecommunications, Finance, Healthcare, Finance, HR, and Manufacturing & Utilities. Previous Next