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< News Ransomware payments no guarantee 3 Oct 2025 Paying a ransomware demand is no guarantee that your precious business data will be restored. Research by Veeam found that fewer and fewer companies are actually getting their data back after a ransomware attack. For them, paying the ransom merely makes the full cost of business recovery even greater. Veeam found that only about a third of businesses who paid up recovered their data, down from around half in the prior year. The number of organisations who were able to recover their data without paying up in the same time period was just under a third. Ransomware accounts for 11% of cyber attacks reported to the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD). As of 30 May this year, Australian businesses with an annual turnover of more than $3M must report any ransomware or cyber extortion payments to the government within 72 hours of making the payment or becoming aware of it. At Generic Systems Australia we have decades of experience helping local businesses keep cyber thieves at bay through deployment of the world’s best MFT, GoAnywhere . If you’d like a no-cost, no-obligation discussion about how we could help you, please feel welcome to get in touch with me. Previous Next

< News MFT: Not Just Your First Line of Cyber Defence 16 Sept 2025 Every organisation serious about protecting its data will likely come to view a Managed File Transfer (MFT) solution as one of their first lines of defence. Employing MFT as the standard when exchanging data puts organisations light years ahead of businesses still relying on risky File Transfer Protocol and email to transfer files. MFT platforms not only centralise – and therefore, control - data transfer, they also enable companies to apply comprehensive policies which protect data. Data can be insulated from threats as diverse as inbound malware to careless employees entrusting files to external platforms beyond an organisation’s direct control, such as Google Drive and Dropbox. Critical protection policies, such as those encompassing encryption, monitoring, and auditing capability, can be enforced. High Volume = High Exposure In 2024, businesses were responsible for generating around 30% of the world’s data—an astonishing ~44.1 zettabytes. That included data such as transaction records, CRM logs, ERP systems, IoT sensor data from manufacturing and logistics, internal communications, analytics, and cloud backups, AI training datasets and other enterprise software usage. But as the volume of data used and consumed by businesses grows, so too does the cost and impact of potentially losing that data. The high ransoms now regularly being paid to cyberthieves amply demonstrate just how valuable business data has become. Surely it makes more sense to invest in a relatively inexpensive protective technology like MFT, than to lose equivalent funding — or greater — in the form of ransoms paid to cyber thieves? Lessons from Bankers Banks, traditional repositories of valuables from cash, precious metals and sensitive documents, have learned a lot over the years about protecting assets. And their learnings are relevant to how we should be protecting our valuable data. Banks no longer store our valuables in a single bank vault. Nor for that matter do they store our digital currency on a single server. Rather, banks protect our precious assets — physical and digital — behind layers of security. Physical valuables sit behind physical barriers, multiple locks, access control systems, remote monitoring and security guards. Digital valuables are protected against threats such as malware, ransomware, accidental data loss, third-party exposure, and zero-day attacks by a broad array of technologies. Sitting beneath those technologies, ensuring they’re enforced and providing a sound bedrock of centralised control, surveillance and auditing, is MFT. Adding Layered Defence At Generic Systems Australia we’re adept at installing and maintaining the world’s leading MFT, GoAnywhere . And our Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) bundle significantly enhances GoAnywhere’s data protection capabilities by introducing a proactive, multilayered defence against both external threats and internal data leakage. While GoAnywhere already provides secure encryption, access controls, and audit trails for file transfers, the ATP bundle adds dynamic inspection and sanitisation that targets the content itself—not just the container. At the heart of this integration is the Clearswift Secure ICAP Gateway, which enables deep content inspection and adaptive Data Loss Prevention (DLP). This means every file transferred through GoAnywhere can be scanned for malware, embedded scripts, macros, and other active content that could compromise systems. Unlike traditional antivirus tools, ATP sanitises files in real time—removing only the malicious elements while allowing legitimate content to pass through uninterrupted. Limiting Exposure Beyond malware, the ATP Bundle also addresses sensitive data exposure. It can detect and block files containing personally identifiable information (PII), financial records, or confidential metadata before they’re shared externally. Policies can be set to redact sensitive text, strip geotags and even apply optical character recognition (OCR) to scanned documents to catch hidden data. This empowers organisations to enforce granular control over who can transmit sensitive content and under what conditions—adding a layer of governance that encryption alone cannot provide. In essence, the ATP Bundle transforms GoAnywhere from a secure conduit into an intelligent gatekeeper. It doesn’t just move data safely—it understands what’s inside, evaluates its risk, and ensures that only clean, compliant content reaches its destination. Modular Enhancements Augmenting GoAnywhere’s capabilities are Modules which can further protect an organisation from the inherent risks of legacy protocols such as SFTP/FTPS, email attachments and manual processes. SFTP Server can be upgraded to by GoAnywhere SFTP Server Module, enabling SSH-encrypted transfer with centralised access control, audit logging and integration with Active Directory. FTPS Server can be upgraded to FT Module, offering SSL/TLS encryption, customisable access, and DMZ-safe deployment via GoAnywhere Gateway. HTTPS Web Uploads can be replaced by the Secure Folders Module to create browser-based file access with HTTPS encryption and user authentication. AS2/AS4/PeSIT can be replaced by Certified Protocol Modules, providing Retail and banking-grade secure exchange with Drummond certification. These modules consolidate disparate protocols into a single, scalable platform—reducing complexity, improving visibility, and enforcing consistent security policies across all transfers. Making Email Secure Email is ubiquitous. However, it's also one of the least secure ways to transmit sensitive data. Fortra’s Secure Mail module in GoAnywhere transforms ad-hoc file sharing into a secure, trackable process without disrupting user workflows. Using Secure Mail, Users send files as secure encrypted packages via their browser or an Outlook plugin. Recipients receive a unique link to download via HTTPS — no files are sent directly via email. Senders can set expiration dates, download limits, and password protection, and all activity is logged for auditability and compliance. Secure Mail keeps files on your infrastructure until accessed, eliminating third-party hosting risks and ensuring full control over sensitive data. Strategic Defence By replacing legacy protocols and insecure email practices with GoAnywhere’s modular architecture, organisations gain: • Unified governance over all file transfers; • Reduced attack surface via DMZ-safe deployment; • Improved compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS; and • Streamlined user experience without sacrificing security. Here to Help At Generic Systems Australia we have decades of experience helping Australian and New Zealand organisations protect themselves against malware and other cyber attacks through the power of the world’s leading MFT solution. Our Migration Service makes the transition even easier for organisations who prefer to use their resources building their businesses rather than improving their IT plumbing. 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 us. At Generic Systems Australia, we’re your local experts in Secure Managed File Transfer. Previous Next

< News Huge Average Cost of Data Breaches Revealed 22 Jan 2024 Cost of a Data Breach A$6.77 million! That was the average cost globally of a data breach in 2023, according to research by IBM. An all-time high, and a 15% increase over the last 3 years, the astonishing number was calculated through in-depth analysis of real-world data breaches experienced by 553 organisations globally – including 112 in the Asia and Pacific regions – in the 12 months prior to March 2023. Alarmingly, only a third of studied breaches were detected by an organisation's own security team. 27% were disclosed by an attacker, and the remainder came from customers, trading partners, law enforcement and other third parties. Nearly 40% of breaches were compounded by the loss of data across multiple environments including public cloud, private cloud, and on-prem. IBM recommended company security teams focus on where cyber criminals are most successful and concentrate their efforts on stopping them before they achieve their goals. This is where an investment in a Secure Managed File Transfer solution has a key role to play. The interception of ad hoc file transfers – for example, email attachments, FTP transfers and other ad hoc methods of moving data within your organisation and between its trading partners – is a key exposure. A Secure Managed File Transfer solution such as the class-leading GoAnywhere MFT addresses the many risks of these ad hoc approaches through a holistic approach and complementary array of security features. Authentication & Encryption Automatically encrypt files on disk using AES 256 encryption Use Domains to create multiple security zones. Filter connections with IP blacklists and whitelists (Global and User level). Block Brute-Force and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks with an automatic IP blacklist. Authenticate SFTP connections with passwords and/or SSH keys. Authenticate FTPS and HTTPS connections with passwords and/or SSL certificates. Ability to accept or reject files with certain extensions. Run services under non-standard port numbers. Create and manage SSL certificates, SSH keys, and Open PGP keys through integrated screens. User Access & Controls Authenticate users against LDAP, Active Directory (AD), IBM i profiles, RADIUS, RSA SecurID, Google Authenticator, Duo Security, and other IAM (Identity and Access Management) solutions. Define administrator user permissions for separation of duties. SAML support for single sign-on and dual factor authentication. Restrict users to specific home directories and subfolders. Specify folder level permissions (upload, download, delete, rename, etc.) by user and group. Restrict user logins to certain days-of-week or times-of-day. Set password policies and expiration intervals. Authorise selected services (e.g. FTP, SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS and AS2) to certain users and groups. Disable user accounts after maximum login attempts. Disable user accounts automatically after a period of inactivity. Receive instant notifications on login failures. Disable anonymous login. View the active sessions for logged-in users with the ability to terminate (kick) sessions. Auditing & Reporting Generate full audit trails of all user events and file activity with reporting. Generate reports of file transfer activity, user statistics, and completed jobs from within the console. Feed audit log messages to a central SYSLOG server. Full Compliance GoAnywhere MFT secures your sensitive files and transmits data using the latest security standards, keeping your data secure and compliant with regulations, frameworks, and standards, including: Australia’s Consumer Data Right. Singapore’s PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act). PCI DSS, the global data security standard adopted by payment card brands. The EU’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) The US’s HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) & HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act). The US’s FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act) & NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Cybersecurity Framework. Canada’s PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act). California’s Consumer Privacy Act. “An ounce of prevention…” As the old saying goes: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. To avoid becoming one of the cybercrime victims IBM studies in 2024 😉 please do explore how the world’s leading Managed File Transfer solution, GoAnywhere MFT can bolster your organisation’s Cyberdefences. Our Business Manager, Bradley Copson ( bradley@gensys.com.au ), is always happy to have an obligation-free discussion , and can offer you a no-cost trial or Proof of Concept. Previous Next

Seamlessly Integrate GoAnywhere with ANY Cloud Cloud Connectors enable Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT, the world’s leading managed file transfer solution , to transfer files easily and securely between your organisation and external cloud services and applications. For example: Let’s say one of your trading partners requests an important file and wants you to share it via a folder in Dropbox. Or perhaps you have contacts or billing information you want to update automatically in Salesforce. Cloud Connectors enable you to do so, easily. Broad Range Cloud Connectors are easily downloaded from GoAnywhere MFT’s integrated Marketplace, which features Connectors for most common cloud services. Available "Out-of-the-Box Cloud Connectors Check availability Cloud Connectors can integrate with available on-premises and online versions of third-party software unless otherwise noted. Unique Custom Connector Service No Marketplace Connector for your special Cloud…? No problem! At Generic Systems Australia, we can design and implement Custom Connectors for you, using GoAnywhere’s Cloud Connector Designer. Contact Us Configuring Cloud Connectors is Easy! Once a Cloud Connector is installed, you can configure the connection properties as a GoAnywhere Resource. With this resource, you only need to specify the connection once before being able to seamlessly reuse it in any of your workflows and cloud file transfers. A Cloud Connector definition contains the various actions required to communicate with cloud applications. For example: authentication logging file transfer file management error handling In GoAnywhere, these actions appear as elements located under the Cloud Connector in the GoAnywhere Project Designer. Elements can be incorporated into your workflows alongside other project tasks, and processes can even be automated between multiple web and cloud services at once Contact Us

< News Moving on from MOVEit 20 Oct 2023 Your Choice of MFT Matters Many organisations across the Asia-Pacific region are replacing their outdated MOVEit-based Managed File Transfer (MFT) systems with Forta’s advanced GoAnywhere suite . In this article, I’ll explain why. There are plenty of options when it comes to selecting a file transfer solution… from free, unsecure methods to the fully-featured marketplace leader. But as cybercrime has continued to surge, companies have increasingly realised how essential it’s become to secure their data transfers, maintaining a ‘circle of trust’ with their customers and supply chains. Additionally, companies have been searching for ways to boost their bottom lines through greater efficiency. The true cost – in terms of lost productivity - of outdated manual file transfer approaches has come into sharper focus. Business leaders are realising that their MFT solutions, which may have once met historic needs, are no longer enough . Superior Security Recent cybersecurity incursions make “Robust Security” top of mind for those seeking a better 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 and compliance product leadership is a primary focus for its development team, who stay across the latest security standards to ensure up-to-date compliance with regulations, frameworks, and standards. Beyond Windows Organisations managing multiple operating systems soon encounter the constraints of MOVEit’s Windows-only solution. GoAnywhere flexibly supports any protocol, any platform, and any deployment, including Microsoft Azure, AWS, Linux, and more. 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, providing GoAnywhere with speed MOVEit can’t match. 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. Easy Centralised Control MOVEit requires you to install two products (MOVEit Automation and MOVEit Transfer) to enable full MFT functionality. Most users prefer GoAnywhere’s centralised, browser-based dashboard - an intuitive “one stop shop” for managing file transfers. 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. And.. 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. Want to see a Better MFT in Action? If you’d like to discuss how GoAnywhere could help boost organisations’ security, efficiency and bottom line, please feel free to contact me ( bradley@gensys.com.au ) for an obligation-free discussion. Bradley Copson Business Manager Generic Systems Australia Previous Next

< News Secure Your Out-Of-Office Work with MFT and Secure Mail 11 Dec 2025 Though the holiday season is fast approaching, for too many business owners and corporate warriors, “holidays” aren’t a complete reprieve from keeping the business running. Many will find themselves reviewing confidential documents in hotel rooms or transferring files from a cafe or pool deck. The ability to work anywhere is an expected aspect of our connected modern business lives. However, this convenience comes with a hidden cost beyond work/life balance. Public wi-fi and mobile hotspots may be convenient, but they’re also prime targets for cybercriminals. Unsecured networks in holiday destinations can expose sensitive data to serious threats. But a Managed File Transfer (MFT) solution with a Secure Mail module can ensure your files remain protected no matter where you work. The Hidden Risks of Public Networks Unsecured connections are more than just slow—they’re dangerous. Common risks include: • Rogue access points that mimic legitimate Wi-Fi • Man-in-the-middle attacks intercepting communications • Packet sniffing and eavesdropping on data streams • Session hijacking to steal credentials • Malware injection during transfers • Credential harvesting for identity theft Real world data proves these aren’t just hypothetical risks. NordVPN recently reported that 70% of Australians use public Wi-Fi on smartphones, with a significant number connecting for work, especially while commuting or working remotely. Surprisingly, many do so  without  a VPN, putting their work and their employers’ data at risk. VPNs Aren’t Enough Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) encrypt traffic, but they don’t secure the entire file transfer process. VPNs cannot enforce role-based access controls, provide file-level auditing and reporting, authenticate users with precision or guarantee compliance with data protection standards. A VPN may protect the connection, but only MFT ensures the files themselves are transferred securely and in compliance with regulations. How MFT Protects Remote File Transfers Solutions like the industry-leading GoAnywhere MFT are designed to safeguard sensitive data even when you and your employees are working off-site. Key features include: • Secure protocols: SFTP, HTTPS, AS2, and FTPS ensure uncompromised transfers. • Encryption: AES-256, TLS, and SSL protect files both at rest and in motion. • Authentication controls: Prevent unauthorised users from initiating transfers. • Role-based access: Limit data visibility to only those who need it. • Auditing and logging: Create compliance-ready audit trails and visibility into file activity. • Automation: Schedule or trigger transfers to reduce human error and eliminate risky manual uploads. Secure Mail Completes the Protection GoAnywhere’s Secure Mail Module enables your employees to send messages and files as secure "packages" on an ad-hoc basis. Recipients get an email with a unique link to each package, allowing them to download the message and files through a secure HTTPS connection. It ’s a great, secure alternative to regular email, plus there are no file size or file type restrictions. Best Practices for Remote File Transfer Security Whether you’re uploading contracts from a hotel room, or signing off on the quarter’s accounts, using email or free cloud storage could expose that data to attackers. By using MFT, however, that transfer will be encrypted, authenticated, and logged—removing risk from the equation. More broadly, it’s always best to prefer secure Wi-Fi or personal hotspots over public networks, avoid free cloud storage services, and avoid using USB drives for confidential files. Work from Anywhere Without Compromising Security Flexibility doesn’t have to mean vulnerability. With GoAnywhere MFT, employees can securely send and receive sensitive files from anywhere in the world—whether working from home or halfway across the globe. Automated, encrypted transfers protect data and provide peace of mind. Local Experts At Generic Systems Australia , we’re Australia’s and New Zealand’s experts in Managed File Transfer. As one of Fortra’s top ten partners globally, we have decades of experience helping local companies install and leverage the world’s leading MFT solution. Let me know if you’d like an obligation-free chat about how MFT could secure your remote workers’ file transfers. Previous Next

< News Why Your Business Needs PROACTIVE Cyber Security 4 Apr 2025 Blocking cyber criminals before they gain access to your IT systems requires your cyber security solution to have access to, and pre-emptively act upon, the very latest intel on threats. It needs an early warning system. Activating the proactive features in your existing security solutions is a good first step to keeping bad actors out. However, layering security with solutions that guard your data – instead of merely alerting you to breaches after the fact – is much better. Six Reasons Here are six reasons your organisation should consider making a proactive Managed File Transfer (MFT) security solution the foundation for your layered data security. Traditional threat intelligence is reactive against cyberthreats rather than proactive. While Brute Force and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks can be detected automatically, that’s only after your systems have come under attack.  A vulnerability discovered by a cybercriminal in one business system can be quickly replicated across other businesses’ systems in a wave of copycat attacks .  Some attacks may only be detectable through (all-too-infrequent) manual inspection of activity logs.  New and previously unknown vulnerabilities can lead to Zero Day incidents , if cyber security solutions don’t continually check for bad IP addresses. Cybercriminals systematically probe MFT service endpoints to evade automatic IP blocking.  An Example A manufacturing plant with multiple MFT deployments was concerned about rising cyberthreats and the potential for their systems to be compromised.  While they were confident in their MFT solution’s ability to protect sensitive data while in transit and in motion, their system didn’t pre-emptively detect bad actors or threats before they entered their MFT environment. While they could add trusted IPs to their “allowed” list, that created a future level of risk. What if that IP address was subsequently compromised…? Thinking Ahead GoAnywhere MFT , the world’s most fully-featured MFT, offers a unique proactive threat intelligence advantage over other lesser solutions , mitigating the risk of persistent IP address trust. By simply turning on the feature in the latest version of GoAnywhere, organisations can leverage the dynamic intelligence database of Fortra’s Threat Brain . This “brain” is comprised of data and indicators from Fortra’s deep portfolio of cybersecurity solutions. It provides a forward-leaning approach to cybersecurity threats, blocking IPs with bad reputations or malicious intent before they enter the MFT environment. When activated within GoAnywhere, Threat Brain pre-emptively blocks bad actors across all attack vectors, continually checking trustworthiness with each new session. Proactive Security Benefits for MFT As a built-in module, Fortra’s dynamic cybersecurity intelligence database benefits GoAnywhere customers by: Consistent re-verification : An IP's reputation is re-checked with every session to ensure it remains safe”. Other MFT products don’t offer this ongoing monitoring of IP addresses once they are white-listed. Comprehensive threat intelligence data sources : Threats detected in one of Fortra’s many security solutions is shared with the Threat Brain, increasing the overall intelligence data available to GoAnywhere MFT. Layered protection : Combined with Threat Protection and Zero Trust File Transfer, GoAnywhere provides unmatched options to safeguard data throughout the entire data lifecycle. Stay A Step Ahead of Cyber Crims Blocking the door to your MFT environment can be as easy as enabling the Threat Brain module in GoAnywhere and determining which level of security you require to meet your organisation’s security mandates or compliance requirements. If you’d like help tapping GoAnywhere’s proactive capabilities for your organisation, please feel welcome to contact me . I’m always happy to have an obligation-free discussion, demonstrate GoAnywhere’s capabilities, and even 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 Survive the Cyber Security Staff Drought 3 Sept 2024 Australian organisations are still struggling to recruit and train sufficient cyber security specialists to keep their valuable data safe. A report by government-funded industry body AustCyber predicted that Australia would need an extra 4800 cyber security workers each year to avoid a significant shortfall by 2030. It warned that the local industry is lagging those of other countries, urging further private sector investment in the area. AustCyber found that 74% of cyber security professionals were being impacted by non-availability of suitably qualified staff. Only 8.8% rated Australia’s cyber security sector as “highly competitive”, while 21% rated the local industry as “not competitive” compared to other global markets. 20% Positions Vacant The Australian Government’s 2023 Skills Priority List shows cyber security roles as among the highest-ranked skills with a national shortage. According to AustCyber, cyber security architects are the most in-demand cyber security role, followed by engineers and analysts. While there were ~51,300 dedicated cyber security workers in Australia last year, a staggering 12,500 jobs had remained vacant. The workforce needs to grow by 66% to reach the total of 85,000 who would be required by 2030. Speaking to The Australian Financial Review earlier this year, the RMIT’s Research Director from the Centre of Cyber Security, Matthew Warren, said: “We cannot run before we walk, and right now the Australian cyber security industry does not have the depth of dedicated, skilled cyber security workers required to strengthen Australia’s security posture against the increasing sophistication, ferocity and prevalence of cyber security threat actors.” AustCyber chief executive Chris Kirk said that cyber security was now a “non-negotiable, impacting every Australian”. Early Education + a Wider Funnel While there’s been a 30% year-on-year growth in the number of people studying cyber security at university, the funnel for future workers needs to be wider for AustCyber’s target to be met. Said Kirk: “We really need to get cyber into the education system quite early, like primary school. And, at the speed of which the industry moves, your skill set can be severely challenged very quickly. So it’s extremely important we upskill and keep globally relevant the professionals in these jobs.” Surviving Staff Shortfalls Organisations struggling to recruit cyber security specialists should consider how automation can augment and relieve the load being carried by their existing cyber security specialists. For example, advanced Managed File Transfer solutions, such as GoAnywhere MFT , can centrally manage and secure file transfers organisation-wide. Recognised for its class-leading features, GoAnywhere frees up your cyber security specialists, working in the background to comprehensively mitigate the risks of storing and moving your data, both within and outside your organisation. Through its centralised control, encryption, and auditing capabilities, GoAnywhere replaces risky traditional approaches and improves productivity. Its versatility, security, ease of use, and budget-friendliness have made it a must-have solution for organisations committed to protecting their information assets. Expert Local Advice On Hand At Generic Systems Australia , we’re Australia’s and the Asia-Pacific region’s experts on Managed File Transfer solutions. If you’d like a no-cost, no-obligation discussion about how we could help you augment your cyber security team’s efforts, please feel welcome to get in touch . Previous Next

< News MediSecure hack Australia’s worst so far 19 July 2024 eScripts provider MediSecure has revealed that 12.9M Australians had their data stolen in a hack earlier this year, making it one of the largest cyber breaches in Australian history. MediSecure, which facilitates electronic prescriptions and dispensing, confirmed in May it was the victim of a ransomware attack, following an earlier theft of data which continued until November 2023. The company went into voluntary administration in June after the federal government ruled out a financial bailout. Sensitive Patient Data Lost In a statement released late Thursday afternoon, MediSecure gave details about the kinds of data stolen, including full names, phone numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, Medicare numbers, and Medicare card expiry dates. The 6.5 terabytes of data also included some sensitive health information, such as which medications people were prescribed, the name of the drug, dosage, the reason for their prescription, and instructions for taking the medication. Inadequate Protection MediSecure said it was unable to identify specific impacted individuals “due to the complexity of the data set" and that doing so would have come at a "substantial cost that MediSecure was not in a financial position to meet". A tiny sample of the data was published on a dark web forum following the hack, and the larger data set was listed as being for sale, for $50,000. It's not clear whether the data was sold, but it's considered likely. Vigilance Urged Cyber security experts have urged Australians to remain vigilant for signs of fraud being committed using their medical data. Said one: "If contacted by someone claiming to be a medical or other service provider, including financial service provider, seeking personal, payment or banking information, you should hang up and call back on a phone number you have sourced independently." Avoiding becoming the Next MediSecure Now in liquidation, MediSecure is an example of how not to protect the sensitive customer data entrusted to your organisation. One of your best defences against hackers is to centrally control the flow of data into and out of your organisation. Managed File Transfer (MFT) software does that for you. But MFT does more than just provide centralised control. It also offers encryption, efficiency boosts and auditing capabilities. Using enhanced security protocols, it ensures data privacy during transmission and storage. And it also provides detailed audit-ready logs which detail which data has been accessed and by who. Expert Local Advice At Generic Systems Australia , we’re the Asia-Pacific’s experts on the world’s #1 MFT, GoAnywhere . If you’d like an obligation-free discussion about how we could help you keep your organisation safe from cyber thieves, please feel welcome to get in touch . Attribution: This article was largely sourced from Australia’s ABC News service Previous Next

< News Asia-Pacific orgs are on Cybercrime Frontline 12 July 2024 The Asia-Pacific region is the frontline in the fight against cybercriminals. A survey conducted by security firm Kiteworks has found that 72% of organisations in our region experienced four or more cybersecurity incidents in the past year - 20% more than the global average. Data also shows that Asia-Pacific organisations also exchange sensitive content with the highest number of third parties. This could be contributing to the higher-than-average cyberattacks. One of your best defences against hackers is to centrally control the flow of data into and out of your organisation. Managed File Transfer (MFT) software does that for you. At Generic Systems Australia , we’re the Asia-Pacific’s experts on the world’s #1 MFT, GoAnywhere . Let me know if you’d like an obligation-free discussion about how we could help you keep your organisation safe from the cyber crimewave. #MFT #managedfiletransfer #securefiletransfer #sft #cybersecurity #cybercrime Previous Next