< News A Key Question Your Anxious Board SHOULD Be Asking About Cyber Security 4 Aug 2026 Another week, another loss of confidential data from a high-profile corporation. In Board Rooms across Australia, Board Members will be quizzing security team leaders, seeking reassurance that their organisation isn’t similarly exposed. But it’s unlikely they’re diving deep enough. One important question isn’t being asked - or answered. “If our file transfer platform were compromised tomorrow, how bad would it   be?” Securing Your MFT Most discussions around cyber security comprise a checklist of compliance requirements and a list of supported protocols. While these matter, they’re not what determines whether a vulnerability turns into an incident . The difference is whether your managed file transfer system has been properly secured and made resilient. Here’s what to look for. 1. Least Privilege Is Enforced, Not Assumed  In many environments, file transfer services run with more access than they need. Elevated OS permissions, shared service accounts, and broad directory access are common. While this reduces friction, this easy access also becomes permission for attackers.   Ironically, while IT teams are implementing Zero Trust for users, too many are still granting Complete Trust to the automated pipes moving their organisation’s most sensitive data. A breach doesn't need to break your encryption if it can simply hijack your delivery system. A modern MFT platform should be able to function without blanket system‑level access, with admin actions clearly separated from operational ones. Core services should run under non‑privileged service accounts, with only the minimum permissions required to complete transfers. When MFT services run as root, administrator, or highly privileged system users, any application‑level compromise can quickly become a lateral movement opportunity. Running services under constrained, non‑privileged accounts helps ensure that a single flaw doesn’t automatically grant access to adjacent systems or sensitive resources. GoAnywhere MFT - the world’s leading Managed File Transfer solution - is designed with this separation foremost in mind. Access is intentional , not inherited. 2. Isolation Limits Blast Radius One of the biggest differentiators between a security  event  and a security  incident  is isolation. When a file transfer application is tightly coupled to the underlying operating system, any application‑level weakness risks becoming a system‑level failure. That’s when a bug can become a breach. Stronger designs enforce clear boundaries between: Application and the OS Different environments What the service can see and what it can touch This is where architectural choices like containerisation and user‑space isolation matter. Running MFT services in user‑space - rather than granting direct kernel‑level access - helps prevent application flaws from escalating into full host compromise. Containerised or sandboxed deployments further reduce risk by isolating the MFT runtime from the host operating system and from other services. If a vulnerability is exploited inside the application, the attacker is confined to that limited execution context instead of gaining unrestricted access to the system. Isolation must also extend to how MFT platforms are exposed to the internet. In properly designed architectures, no data should ever reside in the DMZ. Instead, the MFT platform should securely proxy connections from the internal network through a hardened gateway, ensuring external access is terminated safely without opening inbound ports from the internet into the private network. When file transfer servers are placed directly in the DMZ or allowed to store data there, they introduce unnecessary persistence and expand the attack surface. A hardened gateway model, combined with user‑space execution and container isolation, limits what an attacker can reach even if the external‑facing component is compromised. Isolation doesn’t prevent vulnerabilities, but it can dramatically limit what happens after one is found. 3. Protect Trust with Key Management Encrypting data in transit is essential. The greater challenge is ensuring data remains protected once it reaches the file transfer platform. Strong MFT architectures encrypt stored files using modern standards such as AES‑256, ensuring that data remains protected even if storage or system access is compromised. Equally important is how encryption keys are managed. Keys should be stored encrypted and controlled outside of file transfer workflows, ideally through an enterprise key management system. Separating key storage from transfer operations ensures that access to data does not automatically imply access to the keys that protect it. 4. Visibility Beyond Logins Most security monitoring around file transfer stops at authentication. That’s no longer enough, because when attackers target file transfer platforms, it can often look like legitimate transfers - just at the wrong time, to the wrong place, or in the wrong volume. Security teams need visibility into what data moved, where it went, how it was initiated, and whether it matched expected behaviour. This is where detailed transfer-level audits play an important role. Logs must support investigations, not just troubleshooting. This level of visibility allows SOC security teams to quickly distinguish between normal automation and misuse even when activity originates from trusted service accounts or internal systems. 5. Automation Isn’t Just a Shortcut Automation is essential. It’s also one of the more common reasons for over‑privilege, with scripts and APIs often outliving their original purpose. Credentials can eventually get reused, expanding access over time. And when those vulnerabilities surface, automation paths are often the hardest to untangle. Secure MFT platforms apply the same controls to automation  that they do to users: scoped credentials, auditable actions, and clear ownership. Automation processes should run under the same non-privileged scoped service accounts as interactive services to ensure that if a single workflow is compromised it doesn’t enable broader system access. Turning Lessons into Better Decisions The organisations weathering the cyber security storm aren’t the ones with perfect patch timing. They’re the ones whose architecture assumes failure and limits consequences. Treating MFT as critical infrastructure, one designed around least privilege, user-space execution, non-privileged service accounts, isolation, secure DMZ handling, and visibility, doesn’t eliminate risk. But it does help prevent one flaw from becoming a systemic failure. Local Help on Hand At Generic Systems Australia , we’re Australia’s and New Zealand’s deep local experts in MFT. A top ten MFT partner for Fortra globally, we have many years of experience helping organisations from small to multinational install and leverage the world’s leading MFT. Let us know if you’d like to learn more about how GoAnywhere MFT can help you. Attribution: This blog leverages excellent technical advice originally published by Jeff Burkett, Senior Solutions Engineer at Fortra. Previous Next

< News New Cyber Laws Impose New Business Obligations 16 Oct 2024 Australia’s federal government last week introduced much-anticipated legislation to parliament which will revolutionise Australia’s cyber security preparedness. If passed as expected, the new laws will impose new compliance and reporting requirements on local businesses. Govt Intent Designed to protect businesses and consumers from the growing scourge of cyber crime, the Cyber Security Act 2024 is Australia’s first standalone cyber security legislation. Introducing the Act, Minister for Cyber Security, Tony Burke, said that – like IT systems themselves - legislation needed to be hardened to protect national security and economic stability. He described the package as providing a clear legislative framework for contemporary, whole-of-economy issues which would identify and respond to new and emerging cyber threats. Seven Initiatives There are seven initiatives under the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy which collectively address gaps in current legislation to: Mandate minimum cyber security standards for smart devices; Introduce mandatory ransomware reporting for certain businesses to report ransom payments; Introduce a ‘limited use’ obligation for the National Cyber Security Coordinator and the Australian Signals Directorate; and Establish a Cyber Incident Review Board. SOCI Reforms The legislation will also progress and implement reforms under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (SOCI Act): Clarifying existing obligations in relation to systems holding business critical data; Simplifying information sharing across industry and Government; Introducing Government powers to direct entities to address serious deficiencies within their risk management programs; and Moving regulation for the security of telecommunications into the SOCI Act. The SOCI Act reforms will also expand current Government assistance measures to ensure Government can step in as a last resort to manage the consequences of significant incidents. Govt Empowered Changes to government assistance measures will empower the Government to gather information or direct entities to take or refrain from certain actions, on authorisation from the Minister for Home Affairs, in response to a serious incident. Characterising the legislation as a significant step towards his government’s vision of becoming a world leader in cyber security by 2030, Tony Burke said: “We know government has to lead the way on cyber, but we also know we can’t do it alone. This is why these new laws have been consulted extensively with business. “To achieve Australia’s vision of being a world leader in cyber security by 2030, we need the unified effort of government, industry and the community.” New Business Obligations Legal firm A&O Shearman cautioned that the new Cyber Bill will introduce several new critical areas of compliance and reporting. It said businesses must take heed of these new obligations, and ensure they put in place robust cyber security measures. • Ransomware Reporting Obligations : Entities impacted by cyber security incidents and making ransomware payments must report these payments within 72 hours. The aim of this obligation is to improve the detection and response to ransomware incidents, thereby reducing their impact. Failure to report can result in civil penalties. • Security Standards for Smart Devices : The Cyber Bill mandates that manufacturers and suppliers of smart devices comply with specified security standards. This is crucial for businesses involved in the production or distribution of smart devices. Non-compliance can result in compliance notices, stop notices, and recall notices. These measures are designed to ensure that smart devices are secure and do not pose a risk to users. • Protected or Limited Use of Incident Information : The Cyber Bill includes provisions to ensure that information provided about cyber security incidents is used or disclosed only for permitted purposes, with strict limitations on using this information for civil or regulatory actions against the reporting entity. • Cyber Incident Review Board : The Cyber Bill establishes a Cyber Incident Review Board tasked with reviewing certain cyber security incidents and making recommendations. The Board has the authority to request and require documents from entities. Non-compliance may result in civil penalties. A&O Shearman said organisations should make sure they implement security standards in compliance with the specified security measures currently provided for in the Cyber Bill, and make sure they can comply with the ransomware reporting obligations, including the timelines foreseen in the Cyber Bill. Meeting New Requirements Criminal syndicates target organisations which haven’t adequately protected their data transfers and systems access. Defending against them requires a multi-layered strategy which includes robust data transfer protection, multifactor authentication and employee training. 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 stringent 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. GoAnywhere MFT also provides audit reports, which will help organisations meet new reporting and compliance needs. All file transfer and administrator activity is stored and easily searchable. To help organisations report on file transfer activity and remain compliant with the new legislation, these audit logs can be automatically generated and provided as PDFs. 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 an organisation, and reducing the risk of employees losing or mishandling sensitive data. Local Expertise on Hand Generic Systems Australia are your local experts in Managed File Transfer solutions. We’ve assisted dozens of organisations across the Asia-Pacific region to secure their data and keep cybercriminals at bay. 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. Previous Next

< News Understanding your organisation’s obligations for protecting Personal Identifiable Information 19 Nov 2024 With the Australian Government’s imminent introduction of new cyber security legislation, it’s becoming more important than ever to understand your organisation’s legal responsibilities for protecting Personal Identifiable Information (PII). What is PII? The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) – Australia’s top government cyber security agency – says that personal data includes a broad range of information that could identify an individual. That may include an individual’s: Name Date of birth Address Medical records Racial/ethnic origin Political opinion Religious beliefs Gender Sexual orientation or practices Criminal record Payment details Email address Password License Photo Video Phone number Passport Employment information Biometrics, such as voice prints and facial recognition The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) extends that definition even further, saying it can include: Signatures Credit information IP addresses Trade union membership and associations Genetic information The OAIC cautions that sensitive information has a higher level of privacy protection than other personal information. It includes in that definition race and ethnicity, political opinions and associations, religious and philosophical beliefs, trade union membership and associations, sexual orientation and practices, criminal record, health or genetic information and some aspects of biometric information. Importantly, personal data is often greater than the sum of its parts. When seemingly innocuous data is aggregated or combined, it can be used to form a more complete picture about an individual. What Existing Laws Require The Privacy Act 1988 sets out how organisations must handle personal information, and applies to organisations with an annual turnover of more than $3 million, unless they’re a small business operator, registered political party, state or territory authority or a prescribed instrumentality of a state. Some small business operators do have obligations under the Act. These include: private sector health service providers businesses that sell or purchase personal information credit reporting bodies, contracted service providers for the Australian Government employee associations businesses accredited under the Consumer Data Right System businesses that have opted-in to the Privacy Act businesses related to a business covered by the Privacy Act businesses prescribed by the Privacy Regulation 2013 . New Obligations Incoming In October 2024, The Australian Government introduced to parliament the Cyber Security Act 2024, Australia’s first standalone cyber security legislation. If passed as expected, this new Act will impose new compliance and reporting requirements on Australian businesses. The Act is designed to address seven initiatives within the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy , including: • Mandating minimum cyber security standards for smart devices • Mandatory ransomware reporting for certain businesses to report ransom payments • A ‘limited use’ obligation for the National Cyber Security Coordinator and the Australian Signals Directorate • Establishment of a Cyber Incident Review Board. The legislation will also progress and implement reforms under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (SOCI Act) : • Clarifying existing obligations in relation to systems holding business critical data • Simplifying information sharing across industry and Government • Introducing Government powers to direct entities to address serious deficiencies within their risk management programs • Moving regulation for the security of telecommunications into the SOCI Act . Legal firm A&O Shearman cautioned that the new Cyber Bill will introduce several new critical areas of compliance and reporting. It advised businesses to take heed of these new obligations, and ensure they put in place robust cyber security measures. • Ransomware Reporting Obligations: Entities impacted by cyber security incidents and making ransomware payments must report these payments within 72 hours. • Security Standards for Smart Devices: The Cyber Bill mandates that manufacturers and suppliers of smart devices comply with specified security standards. • Protected or Limited Use of Incident Information: The Cyber Bill includes provisions to ensure that information provided about cyber security incidents is used or disclosed only for permitted purposes, with strict limitations on using this information for civil or regulatory actions against the reporting entity. • Cyber Incident Review Board: The new Board will review certain cyber security incidents and make recommendations. It will have the authority to require documents. A&O Shearman said organisations should make sure they implement security standards in compliance with the specified security measures currently provided for in the Cyber Bill, and make sure they can comply with the ransomware reporting obligations, including the timelines foreseen in the Cyber Bill. ASD Advice on Data Security Practices ASD says that, for businesses to be confident they’re employing appropriate data security practices, they should consider implementing these measures: Create a register of personal data Limit personal data collected Delete unused personal data Consolidate personal data repositories Control access to personal data Encrypt personal data Back up personal data Log and monitor access to personal data Implement secure Bring Your Own Device practices Report a data breach involving personal data ASD warned that “businesses cannot afford to forgo investing in their security, and risk compromising the security of their customers’ personal data. The prevalence of data breaches and ransomware attacks underscores the importance of sound security practices. Businesses cannot afford to assume that they will not be targeted. Investing in security proactively can be far more cost effective than having to manage the repercussions and costs of a major data breach”. Solutions to Help Meet PII Obligations Cyber criminals succeed when organisations don’t adequately protect their data transfers and systems access. Keeping the thieves at bay requires a multi-layered strategy, including robust data transfer protection, multifactor authentication and employee training. 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. 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. GoAnywhere MFT also provides audit reports, which will help organisations meet the new reporting and compliance needs. All file transfer and administrator activity is stored and easily searchable. To help organisations report on file transfer activity and remain compliant with the new legislation, these audit logs can be automatically generated and provided as PDFs. Advanced Threat Protection adds a further layer of defence. SFT Threat Protection enables safe collaboration with external parties, preventing malware from entering an organisation, and reducing the risk of employees losing or mishandling sensitive data. Local Experts Here to Help Generic Systems Australia are your local experts in Managed File Transfer solutions. We’ve assisted dozens of organisations across the Asia-Pacific region to secure their data and keep cybercriminals at bay. 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 to the latest software and approaches, and even offer you a zero-cost Proof of Concept. Previous Next

< News Get Smart Agents to Automate Your File Transfers 10 Mar 2026 Many organisations’ file transfers have grown organically over years - an assortment of shell scripts, scheduled tasks, ad‑hoc utilities, and “that one server nobody touches because it just works”. While such a patchwork might survive early growth, it becomes more fragile and risky as data volumes increase and security expectations tighten. Would you believe there’s a much better – safer, more reliable, more scalable – way…? Recruiting Agents MFT agents are lightweight applications that do a lot of heavy lifting to automate your file transfers and workflows – remote and on-premises – throughout your enterprise, saving you time and money. If your organisation needs to move, transform, or manage files securely across different environments, deploying an MFT agent is one of the most efficient ways to do it. Agents remove the reliance on scattered FTP, FTPS, SFTP servers or home‑grown transfer scripts, replacing them with a single, governed approach to automation. How to Get Smart The simplest path is to use an MFT platform that includes both local and remote agents, such as Fortra’s GoAnywhere MFT . Its browser‑based console gives teams a central place to configure, schedule, and monitor agent‑driven transfers, along with any related business workflows. Agents can be installed on almost any system involved in file movement: Windows, Linux, UNIX, IBM i, and even cloud‑hosted servers. Once deployed, they act as lightweight workers that carry out tasks on behalf of the central MFT server. Administrators can define what each agent should do, track every action it performs, and enforce strong security controls. All communication between agents and the MFT server is encrypted using SSL/TLS, and multi‑step authentication ensures only authorised systems can connect. Staying in Control Every agent reports back to the central GoAnywhere server, giving teams complete visibility and control. Agents can process files locally - such as transforming, encrypting, or compressing them - or send them back to the MFT server for further handling. They can be deployed almost anywhere: on‑premises, in the cloud, or even at a partner’s site. Installers can be customised to suit your environment, making rollout straightforward. With agents in place, organisations can streamline a wide range of routine tasks, including: Automating and securing file transfers Facilitating workflow capabilities such as compression, decompression, data parsing, database integration, encryption and decryption, and more Scheduling file transfers to run at future dates/times Monitoring folders on agent systems for new or modified files Sending alerts if an agent file transfer failed Feeding audit data to centralised deployment of GoAnywhere reporting for visibility into all file transfers within your organisation Deploying automatic notifications if an agent goes offline Making Your Move Transitioning to smart agents is typically straightforward. At Generic Systems Australia, our Migration Service can do it for you. Many organisations find it easy enough to do for themselves. You can start by cataloguing your existing scripts - what they move, when they run, and which systems they touch. GoAnywhere enables you to replicate these behaviours as automated workflows, but with added benefits like encryption, retries, alerting, and centralised logging. Once the workflows are defined, deploy agents to the relevant servers. These lightweight components handle the local file system interactions while the MFT server orchestrates the logic. The Payoff The payoff from moving to automated MFT transfers is immediate. Security teams gain consistent encryption and policy enforcement. Operations teams gain reliability and monitoring. Developers no longer need to maintain brittle scripts or reinvent transfer logic for every new integration. And the business gains a resilient, scalable foundation for data movement - one that supports growth rather than holding it back. Replacing manual scripts with MFT agents isn’t just a technical upgrade; it’s a shift toward predictable, governed, and secure data flows. For organisations ready to modernise, it’s one of the highest‑impact changes they can make. “We Happen to Be Experts on that Subject” Generic Systems Australia is Fortra’s #1 GoAnywhere Partner in Australia and New Zealand, with decades of experience enabling organisations to defend against cyber attacks. If you’d like a no-cost, no-obligation discussion about how we could help you simply and affordably adopt an advanced MFT solution, please feel welcome to get in touch with me. Previous Next

< News New Cyber Laws Passed – What Australian Businesses Need to Know and Do 27 Nov 2024 Earlier this week, the Australian Parliament passed a suite of legislative reforms designed to enhance Australia’s cyber security. The reforms include a raft of new requirements and obligations on Australian businesses. About the Legislation Based on recommendations by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, the new legislation addresses a number of proposals initially set out in Australia’s 2023 – 2030 Cyber Security Strategy, and spans three separate Acts: 1. the Cyber Security Act 2024 (Cyber Security Act); 2. the Intelligence Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Cyber Security) Act 2024 ; and 3. the Security of Critical Infrastructure and Other Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Response and Prevention) Act 2024 (SOCI Amendment Act). Mandatory reporting of ransom payments, and the introduction of a new voluntary information sharing regime, will have the most immediate impact on organisations. Mandatory Reporting of Ransomware Payments Ransomware attacks are rife across Australia. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) reported that this form of cyber extortion accounted for 11% of all cyber incidents to it in 2023-2024, up from 8% in the previous year. The Government had previously pursued a ban on ransom payments. However, its position has since moderated somewhat. The Cyber Security Act only requires organisations to report ransomware payments to the Department of Home Affairs and the ASD. This new reporting obligation will commence at latest six months after the Act receives royal assent (potentially earlier by proclamation) and applies broadly to: · organisations which are a responsible entity for a critical infrastructure asset; and · other private sector organisations which conduct business in Australia with an annual turnover exceeding a threshold (to be specified - likely to be A$3M). Ransomware reports are required to be made within 72 hours of making a payment (not the receipt of a demand or the discovery of a ransomware attack). Difficult Decisions The requirement to report payments will need to be taken into account by Boards when considering whether to pay a ransom. The Government’s general view on ransoms continues to be that organisations should not pay them. It reasons that payments don’t guarantee the recovery or confidentiality of stolen data, but do encourage cyber attacks to proliferate. Organisations in receipt of ransom demands are left to ponder several competing considerations… · Paying a ransom could potentially contravene sanctions (such as the one imposed on Aleksandr Ermakov, the individual responsible for the 2022 Medibank data breach) or anti-money laundering laws. · Company Directors fulfilling the duty of care to act in the best interests of their organisation will need to balance the risks of payment - commercial damage, incentive to re-target, uncertainty of data recovery – against the risks of not paying - loss of systems data, reputational damage, third party claims, lost customers and business disruption. If a ransom payment is made, then the new mandatory reporting obligation will be in addition to other applicable reporting requirements an organisation is subject to. These could include the Privacy Act 1988 , the SOCI Act , and continuous disclosure obligations under the ASX Listing Rules and CPS 234. In fact, it’s important that Cyber Incident Response plans developed by organisations specifically address these overlapping requirements, taking into account the various regulators and timeframes of each. Be aware that, for any entities regulated under the SOCI Act , it’s also conceivable that the Government could use its directions power to direct an entity to pay - or not pay - a ransom. An organisation which fails to comply with mandatory ransom reporting will incur a civil penalty of 60 penalty units (currently A$93,900). Voluntary reporting regime A new National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) is being established under the Cyber Security Act to lead a whole-of-government response to significant cyber security incidents. The Act provides a framework for the voluntary disclosure of information by any organisation operating in Australia, or any responsible entity under the SOCI Act , to the NCSC relating to cyber security incidents. However, it imposes various limitations on how the NCSC may further use and disclose information voluntarily provided by entities, depending on the significance of the incident. Non-significant cyber security incidents: Information can be used for limited purposes such as directing the reporting entity to assistance services, coordinating a government response, and informing Ministers. Significant cyber security incidents: Information can be used for broader ‘Permitted Cyber Security Purposes’. These include preventing or mitigating risks to critical infrastructure or national security, and supporting intelligence or enforcement agencies. A cyber security incident is deemed “significant” if: there is a material risk that the incident has seriously prejudiced, is seriously prejudicing or could reasonably be expected to prejudice the social or economic stability of Australia or its people, the defence of Australia or national security; or the incident is, or could reasonably be expected to be, of serious concern to the Australian people. Information voluntarily provided by organisations to the NCSC is subject to limited use protections similar to those which apply to information disclosed as part of a ransomware payment report. The new voluntary reporting regime and corresponding limited use protection has come into immediate effect. Limited use protection The Cyber Security Act outlines how businesses should work with the NCSC and other government agencies to obtain assistance and guidance when responding to cyber incidents. It also provides businesses with certain limited use protections when collaborating with the government’s cyber security agencies - a legislative foundation for the CISA Traffic Light Protocol government agencies have recently offered when assisting organisations. Such protections were requested by business lobby groups. They provided feedback during the public consultation period that disclosing information about a data breach could risk exposing an organisation to further regulatory or enforcement action, adverse publicity and litigation. Further, if disclosing a cyber incident was determined to be against an organisation’s best interests, its directors could potentially be in breach of their duties in approving the disclosure. That could in turn expose directors to enforcement action from ASIC. Counterweighing these concerns, the Government believes that sharing information on current threats and incidents can help other organisations avoid similar incidents. In balancing these competing interests, the Cyber Security Act limits the purposes for which information contained in a ransomware payment report or voluntarily report provided to the NCSC can be used or disclosed. The NCSC (and any Government agency it coordinates with) cannot record, use or disclose the information provided for the purposes of investigating or enforcing or assisting in the investigation or enforcement of any contravention of a Commonwealth, State or Territory law. An important exemption from the limited use protections are that crimes and breaches of the limited use protections created by the Act. In this way, the protections stop short of being a full “safe harbour”. Information provided under these protections isn’t admissible in evidence against the disclosing entity, including criminal, civil penalty and civil proceedings (including a breach of the common law). And the provision of information to the NSCS does not affect any claim of legal professional privilege over the information contained in that information. These limited use protections will be of value to organisations disclosing information to the Government about cyber incidents. However, directors should bear in mind the notable gaps in the protection they provide. For example: Information provided can’t be used or disclosed for the purposes of investigating or enforcing any contravention by the reporting entity of another law (whether federal, state or territory), other than a law that imposes a penalty or sanction for a criminal offence. This means that if the ransomware report indicates that a payment was made in breach of relevant sanctions laws, then the limited use protection will not prevent the use of the report in a subsequent investigation or enforcement action. While information provided to the NCSC cannot be obtained from the NSCS by regulators or government agencies, the protection offered under this Act does not prevent regulators from obtaining the underlying information through other means, including via regulatory investigatory powers or where provided under other mandatory reporting regimes, such as those in the Privacy Act 1988 , the SOCI Act, the Telecommunications Act 1997 and the ASX Listing Rules continuous disclosure obligations. So, cyber incident notifications provided to the ACSC under the SOCI Act are not captured by the limited use protection, even if that information is also voluntarily provided to the NCSC or detailed in a mandatory ransomware report. A similar limited use protection has been introduced via the Intelligence Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Cyber Security) Act 2024 for cyber incident information voluntarily shared with the ASD. Other Inclusions in the Legislation This article has focused on developments within the new Cyber Security legislative reforms which will most impact companies and organisations. However, in the interests of completeness, here is a brief overview of other key developments covered in the legislation: Mandated Security Standards for Internet of Things (IOT) Devices. These standards will be detailed in legislative rules, with suppliers required to provide a statement of compliance for devices supplied to the Australian market. New Cyber Incident Review Board. This independent advisory body will be empowered to conduct no-fault, post-incident reviews of significant cyber security incidents and provide recommendations and information to both the private and public sector. It will have the power to compel entities to provide information about significant cyber security incidents. Critical Infrastructure definition expanded. Data storage systems which hold business critical data have been added to the definition of critical infrastructure assets. This closes a gap in the regulations which became apparent in the aftermath of the Optus and Medibank data breaches. Expanded Incident Response Powers. The Government will now have the power to direct an entity to take, or not take a specific action, in the event of a cyber incident affecting critical infrastructure. Security and incident notification obligations moved from the Telecommunications Act 1997 to the SOCI Act , consolidating the cyber obligations of telecommunication carriers and carriage service providers under a single piece of legislation. What Organisations Should Do Cyber security response plans should now be reassessed and upgraded to ensure they align to the new mandatory ransomware reporting requirements. Playbooks and procedures should take account of how an organisation plans to engage with cyber security authorities, bearing in mind the extent - and limitations - of the defined limited use protections. Focus on preventing cyber incidents - not just responding to them . A Managed File Transfer (MFT) solution such as GoAnywhere MFT can encrypt data at rest and in transit, complying with the highest data security standards. It manages inbound and outbound file transfers across an organisation, using industry-standard file transfer protocols and encryption to protect your data. Advanced Threat Protection and Adaptive Loss Prevention add a further layer of defence. SFT Threat Protection facilitates safe collaboration with external parties, helping to prevent malware from entering an organisation, and reducing the risk of employees losing or mishandling sensitive data. Finally, organisations should seek professional legal counsel in determining and responding to their obligations and responsibilities under the new Cyber Security legislative reforms. The information provided in this article has been general in nature, and the interpretations and advice outlined above should not be interpreted as professional legal advice. Previous Next

< News Migrating from MOVEit 8 July 2024 The rapid escalation of cybercrime is causing many organisations across the Asia-Pacific region to upgrade to more advanced file transfer solutions. That includes replacing Managed File Transfer (MFT) systems such as MOVEit with the class-leading GoAnywhere MFT suite. As our region’s local experts in MFT, at Generic Systems Australia we’re adept at helping customers simply, quickly and affordably migrate from their existing data transfer approaches. Many Options - but only one of them “Best” There are plenty of options when it comes to selecting a file transfer solution… from free, unsecure methods to the fully-featured market leader. However, as cybercrime continues to surge, many companies are concluding that the benefits of upgrading to the class-leading MFT more than justify the relatively minor investment required. They understand that maintaining a ‘circle of trust’ with their customers and supply chains is paramount to their business’s ongoing profitability. So, why is GoAnywhere MFT consistently declared by independent studies to be the leading MFT …? Superior Security “Robust Security” is most often the top of mind consideration for companies seeking the optimal MFT solution. GoAnywhere MFT takes all aspects of data security seriously, protecting your sensitive data both “in motion” and “at rest”. Maintaining GoAnywhere’s security is a primary focus for its software development team. They consistently stay across the latest security standards and threat monitoring to ensure up-to-date compliance with regulations, frameworks, and standards. Easy Centralised Control MOVEit requires you to install two products (MOVEit Automation and MOVEit Transfer) to enable full MFT functionality. Most companies find GoAnywhere’s centralised, browser-based dashboard - an intuitive “one stop shop” - a more efficient means of managing their data flows. The Need for Speed Included in GoAnywhere is GoFast, a file transfer acceleration protocol which can transmit data considerably faster than traditional FTP. The patented technology in GoFast takes the best of UDP’s speed and adds reliability and rate control. Drag & Drop Workflows Scripting (as required by MOVEit for some tasks) is clunky, time consuming and confusing for non-expert users. Through its breadth of Automated Workflows capabilities, GoAnywhere enables end users to quickly and easily build workflows. Manual and automated tasks can even be combined into one master workflow. Further, GoAnywhere provides easy reporting on partner Service Level Agreements, alerting you to any workflow issues before your trading partners do. Advanced Auditability GoAnywhere not only moves and shares data securely, it also provides full auditability of transfers. Logging full audit trails of all user events and file activity, it can also generate reports of file transfer activity, user statistics, and completed jobs – all from within its central management console. Modular, Multi-Platform Flexibility Organisations managing multiple operating systems appreciate how GoAnywhere flexibly supports any protocol, any platform, and any deployment, including Microsoft Azure, AWS, Linux, and more. Further, GoAnywhere’s capabilities can be significantly extended through the availability of a broad array of licensable modules , satisfying a wide variety of specialised file transfer needs. And More… Beyond the advantages above, former MOVEit users are often delighted to discover GoAnywhere’s advanced capabilities in: High availability and clustering, providing true active-active support and load balancing to distribute workloads across multiple systems; Remote agents - lightweight applications managed through the GoAnywhere interface which enable configuring and scheduling of file transfers throughout an enterprise; and Secure Forms - customised forms or files that which contain data other tasks can automatically process. If you’d like to discuss how your organisation can migrate to the leading MFT solution, please feel welcome to contact me, Bradley Copson ( mailto:bradley@gensys.com.au ) . I’m always happy to have an obligation-free discussion, explain how simple the transition can be, and offer you a zero-cost Proof of Concept. At Generic Systems Australia , we’re your local experts in secure Managed File Transfer. Previous Next

< News "The Case of the Camouflaged CSV" 3 Sept 2025 It was a typical rainy Wednesday in the Cloud. I was nursing a lukewarm S3 bucket of coffee that was almost as bitter as my ex-wife. And that’s when she sauntered into my inbox—legs for days and resolution to match. Said she’d lost something precious: a young .CSV file named “Quarterly_P&L_FINAL_FINAL_v7.docx”. She’d been told I was the kind of dupe who could go find it. And I knew right then this case was going to be messier than an Agile Standup on a Friday afternoon. “Please,” she purred, her pixel-perfect lips trembling. “She vanished right after I hit ‘Send.’ Now she’s nowhere. Not in my Sent Mail. Not in OneDrive. Not in Dropbox. Not even in the Recycle Bin. Just… gone.” I leaned back in the battered Aeron I’d accepted from the last dame who hadn’t had the means to pay me, and reassured her I’d seen this kind of thing way too many times before. “Could be the work of Miss Configuration,” I mused. “Or worse… hackers.” “Please,” she begged, making like the waterworks were about to flow. “You’ve got to F1 me.” I sighed wearily… I’m always a sucker for a dame in distress. But she was right - I was her only chance of being reunited with her beloved .CSV. So I zipped up my trench coat, flipped my firewall to DND, and hit the dirty streets of cyberspace. First stop: the Dark Web. Sin City City plans don’t show where the Dark Web district begins. Nor is there any bullet-ridden road sign to let you know when you’ve crossed from the mean streets to the even meaner streets. But I knew I was there when I saw the familiar shady characters loitering — pop-up hustlers, cookie pushers, and a guy selling expired SSL certificates within the folds of a battered trench coat. I asked around for leads. “Try The Cache,” said a greasy bookmark with a twitchy scroll wheel. “Files go there to be forgotten.” Cold Cache I didn’t need directions. The Cache was a hidden side bar accessible only through a back door. I gave the bored muscle the password I’d bought from a PII broker and pushed into the shadowy crowd of malware and malcontents. The bartender—a grizzled old exe named Clippy—eyeballed me with suspicion before recognising me. “Well, well… if it ain’t GoAnywhere Gumshoe,” he said, polishing some code with a Dirty Markup tea towel. “Chasing another ghost in the machine?” “Not this time, Clippy,” I said. “This time she’s a file. A CSV. Corporate. Probably jacked full of lies and pivot tables.” Clippy winced. “You don’t want that kind of trouble. Last guy in here who asked about spreadsheets is still in a recursive loop.” I slipped Clippy a few kilobytes and he pointed me towards a shadowy booth. In it sat a rogue AI named DataDaemon, sniffing packets as he pored over a Docker container. “Yeah, she was here,” DataDaemon confirmed. “That file you’re looking for. But she wasn’t flying solo. She was hanging off the arm of… him.” “Who…?” “The PDF.” The Unusual Suspect I cursed under my bandwidth. The PDF—slick, immutable, and always up to something. But I had something up my sleeve that the PDF wouldn’t have counted on. It was for a case just like this one that I’d always maintained The Logs. And now The Logs were going to lead me through the brooding labyrinthine of the metadata metropolis, straight to The PDF and his hostage CSV. In no time, I tracked The PDF to a sleazy compression joint called The Zipper Club. He was lounging in a NAS, smug as a first gen backup, not suspecting a RAID. “Searching for your cute little CSV?” he sneered. “Well she ain’t going back. She craved permanence. And I gave her structure. Fonts that don’t shift. Headers that don’t cry.” I lunged at him, but he was fast—encrypted and password protected. I barely clocked his checksum before he was out the door and into the swirling Cloud again. A Ctrl-Breakthrough Back at my office, I stared at the blinking cursor. The trail seemed to have gone cold. It had been a busy day, and my RAM felt fried. But I had a reputation to maintain. I’d never failed a client before… and I sure as hell wasn’t going to fail this one, either. Running through The Logs one more time, I saw it… a timestamp: 3:14 a.m. That was bang in the middle of the witching hour for network traffic — prime time for somnambulant systems to engage in mundane crosstalk and perform glacial backups. I picked up the CSV’s trail again in a neglected SharePoint graveyard. And then there she was, buried six layers deep in folders labelled “Misc”, “Old Stuff” and “DO NOT DELETE”. I exhumed her gently. She was intact, but changed. Her margins were off. Her fonts had gone rogue. Someone had run a mail merge on her. I brought her back to Miss JPEG, and this time, there was no holding back the flood of pixelated tears. “You found her,” she said. “But she’s… different.” “Aren’t we all,” I said, pointing my chin in the direction of the window, where a new day was shooting the first golden rays of hope through the night’s dark Cloud. I gestured towards CSV’s Version History. “She’s still there,” I said. “Just sleeping. Until you restore her.” Epilogue I leaned back in my Aeron and tipped my fedora over my eyes. I knew today would bring another client, another case, another missing file. But for now, the system was stable. And I was still the best damn gumshoe on the cyberspace beat. Fade to black. Cue saxophone MIDI. If you’d like a GoAnywhere Gumshoe protecting your files, please don’t hesitate to contact me . At Generic Systems Australia , we’re your local experts in Managed File Transfer technology. Previous Next

< News Cyber Security to be Top Investment for 2025: CIOs 17 Sept 2024 Australian and New Zealand CIOs are planning to invest significantly in improved cyber security in 2025, according to a recent survey by analysts Gartner. Some 88% of the region’s CIOs and technology executives said they would invest in heightened cyber security measures. 82% said it would be their top investment priority. More Attacks, More Regulation Gartner attributes this focus to greater government regulation, coupled with some of the largest cyberattacks seen in ANZ so far. Speaking at the 2025 Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo on the Gold Coast, Gartner VP Brian Ferreira said “Organisations face greater scrutiny as they batten down the hatches to avoid becoming the next target or breaching stewardship. This continues to drive significant focus and investment towards cybersecurity and legal compliance into next year.” The uncertain economic climate businesses have operated in recently has increased executive and board scrutiny on technology investments, he said. Gartner’s survey found that increased focus on cyber security will attract investment away from previous ANZ CIO priorities of legacy infrastructure (43% of respondents), augmented reality, virtual reality and immersive technologies (17%) and next-generation compute technology (11%). Heightened Focus Consistent with their focus on cyber security, Gartner’s survey found that ANZ CIOs have a significantly heightened focus on ensuring compliance and minimising risks (92% - up from 57% last year). “As Australian regulatory landscapes continue to evolve, ANZ CIOs are also facing more stringent laws to increase stewardship obligations,” Ferreira said. “It’s incumbent upon CIOs to steer their organisations towards a future marked by digital stewardship, responsible innovation, stringent compliance and active participation in shaping regulatory norms.” Help for ANZ CIOs Generic Systems Australia has many years of experience helping ANZ CIOs and IT teams protect their valuable data with class-leading Managed File Transfer solutions. From the initial scoping of companies’ legacy data transfer approaches, through zero-cost Proof of Concepts and hassle-free Migration Services , we help ANZ companies stay focused on running their business without disruption as we transition them to more secure approaches. If you’d like a to discuss how your organisation’s cyber security can be boosted by a cost effective Managed File Transfer solution, 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 Can Your MFT Handle Today’s Multi Threat Landscape? 6 Oct 2026 For years, Managed File Transfer (MFT) platforms sat quietly in the background of enterprise infrastructure. If files moved reliably, audits passed, and nothing caught fire, most teams barely thought about them. That era is over. The security landscape has shifted, and organisations are now scrutinising their MFT environments with a level of urgency that didn’t exist a few years ago. Even long‑established deployments are being re‑evaluated because the risk profile around file movement has fundamentally changed. MFT now sits at the crossroads of sensitive data flows, external connections, automated business processes, and partner ecosystems. If something goes wrong, the impact isn’t isolated - it ripples across critical workflows. From “It Works” to “It’s Secure” Historically, MFT decisions were shaped by checklists: supported protocols, file size limits, compliance requirements. Security was often bolted on later through hardening guides, compensating controls, or operational workarounds. That mindset belonged to a time when file transfer was treated as plumbing rather than an attack surface. High‑profile breaches, zero‑day disclosures, and organisations forced into emergency migrations have changed the conversation. Security teams are now asking sharper questions: How quickly can we update or patch when a new vulnerability drops? Does staying current require major operational effort? Do we have meaningful visibility, or just endless logs? Are we relying on trust‑based controls, or a zero‑trust model that continuously evaluates risk? Teams are moving away from reactive “detect and respond” approaches and toward platforms built for prevention, resilience, and clarity. Continuous Hardening One of the biggest shifts underway is the recognition that MFT hardening must be continuous. The rise of zero‑day vulnerabilities has made “set‑and‑forget” security impossible. Security leaders now expect MFT platforms to make hardening practical - not fragile, risky, or dependent on heroic manual effort. Effective hardening today includes: Strong encryption and secure architectural foundations Upgrading and patching approaches that minimise disruption Controls that are easy to validate and maintain Documentation and tooling that support long‑term operational security When patching becomes painful, teams delay it. When teams delay it, vulnerabilities linger. Customer Insights Across customer conversations and market feedback, several themes appear consistently. 1. Patching and Upgrade Friction Platforms that require heavy coordination or major time=consuming upgrades to address vulnerabilities are losing favour. Frequent CVEs and zero‑days become operational risks when patching is slow or complex. 2. Visibility That Actually Helps Raw logs aren’t enough. Teams want clear, actionable insight into file activity - especially during incidents. If understanding what happened requires deep product expertise, response slows at the worst possible moment. 3. Security Must Scale With Automation File movement is increasingly automated and high‑volume. Manual investigation doesn’t scale. Teams need platforms that reduce noise, suppress low‑value alerts, and highlight genuine anomalies early. Contextual threat intelligence applied at the file‑transfer layer is becoming essential. Security‑First MFT Platforms These pressures are reshaping how organisations evaluate MFT. The question is no longer “Can we secure it?” but “Was it designed for security from day one?” Security‑first platforms typically offer: Patching/upgrading approaches which encourage staying current by being fast and easy Clear visibility into activity and risk Built‑in mechanisms to reduce alert fatigue Architectures that support long‑term hardening This shift is redefining customer requirements and the broader MFT market. Turning Evaluation Into Confidence Modern MFT purchase decisions are about trust and resilience, rather than just features. Organisations want platforms that can withstand real‑world pressure, not just pass a checklist. For teams reassessing their MFT environment, this moment represents an opportunity. By prioritising hardening, operational clarity, and security‑first design, organisations can reduce risk, simplify operations, and avoid the painful surprises that have become all too common. Local Expertise At Generic Systems Australia , we’re Australia’s and New Zealand’s deep local experts in MFT. As one of Fortra’s top ten MFT partners globally, we have many years of experience helping organisations from small to multinational deploy and gain maximum commercial advantage from the world’s leading MFT, GoAnywhere . GoAnywhere is built from the ground up for security. That includes real-time threat monitoring and responsiveness, and quick-and-easy, non-disruptive maintenance. Let us know if you’d like to learn more. Previous Next

< News 5 Eyes Cyber Spooks Issue Urgent A.I. Warning 1 July 2026 The allied intelligence‑sharing agencies of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and USA have issued a joint warning on the risks to business from Artificial Intelligence. In a statement this week, the so-called “Five Eyes” agencies – which includes the Australian Signals Directorate – urged business leaders to act immediately to make their organisations resilient to AI-led cyber incursions. “Frontier Al models are anticipated to exceed current industry expectations, fundamentally transforming both offensive and defensive cyber capabilities,” the statement said. “The timeline is not years, it is months.” “A whole-of-organisation and whole-of-society response is required.” The Five Eyes partners urged leaders to: understand and assess risk, readiness and accountability; prioritize foundational cyber security practices and controls; empower cyber leaders with authority and resources; and stay actively engaged as threats and guidance evolve. Practical actions include: Reduce your attack surface by limiting unnecessary system access and external connectivity Accelerate patching processes, as AI is shortening the time between vulnerability discovery and exploitation. Address legacy systems, as unsupported systems are easy targets and strategic liabilities. Review and strengthen identity and access controls, limiting who can access critical systems. Prepare for incidents, by testing response plans, training teams, and assuming breaches will occur. Use AI to strengthen defence. “Success will come from getting the basics right, acting quickly, and integrating cyber security into core business strategy,” the agencies added. Managed File Transfer is a foundational solution to better manage access to and transfer of organisations’ data. If you’d like to explore potentially deploying it in your organisation, please feel welcome to get in touch with us. Previous Next