Every year on 30 November, International Computer Security Day highlights the importance of protecting personal and organisational information in an increasingly digital world. First acknowledged in 1988, the day is now recognised globally by schools, businesses, and communities of all kinds.
As our reliance on technology grows, so does our exposure to cyber risks. Personal data, financial details, and business information can all be exploited if not properly secured. International Computer Security Day encourages individuals, organisations, and governments to reflect on their online habits and strengthen their digital defences.
Over the past five decades, computers and digital devices have become essential to daily life, from work and study to banking and shopping. This dependence highlights the need for strong security practices and awareness.
Cybercriminals continue to exploit vulnerabilities through identity theft, fraud, ransomware, and malicious software. Taking early, preventive measures is crucial to protecting both personal and business data.
International Computer Security Day serves as a timely reminder to assess your digital security and put effective safeguards in place. Below are practical actions you can take to enhance your online safety:
- Use a unique and strong passphrase on every account:
- A passphrase is a more secure version of a password.
- Passphrases are hard for cybercriminals to crack, but easy for you to remember.
- Create passphrases that are:
- 15 or more characters
- Unpredictable: use 4 or more random words. Avoid identifying information such as family names, birth dates or addresses.
- Unique: are different for every account.
- Learn more about how to set secure passphrases at cyber.gov.au
- Always set up multi-factor authentication (MFA):
- Enable multi-factor authentication where available to add an extra layer of security to all of your online accounts.
- MFA requires two or more proofs of identity to log in to your account
- MFA adds an extra layer of security
- Start with setting up MFA on your most important accounts (such as online banking and email accounts)
- Learn more about how to turn on multi-factor authentication at cyber.gov.au
- Install all software updates to keep your devices secure:
- Installing regular updates will keep your devices secure and makes it harder for cyber criminals to access them.
- Make sure that automatic updates are switched on so that you are notified when an update is available.
- Learn more about how to update your devices at cyber.gov.au
- Be cautious of phishing attempts
- Always verify unexpected text messages, emails, links, and attachments before opening them.
- Check the sender’s details carefully and confirm the email address or phone number is legitimate.
- Hover over links to inspect the URL, and if in doubt, open a new browser window and navigate to the website manually rather than clicking the link.
- Look for spelling errors, urgent language, unusual requests, or unfamiliar sender details.
- Never provide personal or financial information in response to unsolicited messages.
- Back up your data
- Regularly back up important files to a secure location to prevent data loss.
- Use offline backups (such as an external hard drive) or encrypted cloud storage for added security.
- Ensure your backups are protected with strong passwords or encryption.
- Test your backups periodically to confirm they can be restored if needed.
This International Computer Security Day, consider taking time to assess your digital habits. Updating passwords, reviewing privacy settings, installing security updates, or educating those around you about safe online behaviour are all meaningful steps toward better protection. Every proactive action contributes to a more secure digital landscape.
This day is a prompt to prioritise cybersecurity in our daily lives, ensuring that our personal, professional, and organisational information remains safe in an increasingly digital world.
Need help?
If you believe someone has gained access to your bank account and/or personal information, even if the scam appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical.
- If you have concerns about your account mmediately.
- You can report cybercrime directly to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).
- Find out how scams work, how to protect yourself, what to do if you’ve been scammed or report a scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via Scamwatch.
As always, we remain committed to your security and privacy online. To understand how we help to keep you safe, please refer to our Security page. For information on common scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the News section of our website.
