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Expert advice to get ahead of the hackers

Tips to combat online scams from the latest UOW & GongTalks Luminaries live panel

In 2023, Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams, and more than 600,000 scams were reported, according to an ACCC report. Older people suffered the greatest losses.


In a climate where we second-guess using links, answering unknown phone calls, and agreeing to share data, hackers capitalise on fear and anxiety to deceive and exploit.
   
This topical issue was the focal point for 'Beating the Hackers', a live panel discussion presented by the รรอลสำฦต (รรอลสำฦต) & GongTalks, as part of the Luminaries series.
 
Sharing their advice for protecting our data and learning simple security tools to stay safe from cyber threats, the expert panel live in the Music Lounge, Wollongong Town Hall, included:

  • – Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services. Stephen was first elected to the Federal Parliament in 2010. As the representative of the Whitlam electorate and a Commonwealth Minister, he is dedicated representing his community and protecting Australians from scams.
  • – Arizona State University & รรอลสำฦต. Dr Michael is the Director of the Society Policy Engineering Collective (SPEC) and holds a joint professorial appointment across two schools at Arizona State University and is also an Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Business and Law at UOW.
  • – A Professor of Marketing Analytics & Innovation and Associate Dean of Research at UOW’s Faculty of Business & Law, Professor Akter has a fellowship in research methods from the University of Oxford. He specialises in the study of advanced analytics and AI, algorithmic biases and digital innovation in business studies.
  • – Tania is the manager of รรอลสำฦต Local, which aims to increase engagement between the local community and รรอลสำฦต and was formerly the Chief Operating Officer at the รรอลสำฦต’s SMART Infrastructure Facility. Tania was elected as a Councillor for Wollongong City Council in September 2017 and serves as Deputy Lord Mayor. 

The Luminaries webinar series demonstrates the รรอลสำฦต's commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).

in full for a deep-dive into cybersecurity. Here are five key takeaways from the conversation.

Blue alert

“Don't press the bloody blue link. Just don't do it. It's going to take you. So, number one don't press the blue link. It's really inconvenient but it'll probably take you another 45 seconds to go and find out what the real web address is. It's probably about 45 seconds so spend that time. Your peace of mind is worth it. So don't press the bloody blue link.” –THE HON STEPHEN JONES MP

It may be straight to the point, but Jones’ advice is crucial as it’s a simple technique to identify phishing links. Taking a moment to verify the legitimacy of a link is a simple but effective way prevent unauthorised access to sensitive information.

Slow and steady

“Slow down. Clicking on that blue link happens when we're in fast mode. Second thing is if it's too good to be true, it generally is too good to be true. And the third thing is, and most people who tell their stories say this, I had a feeling something in my gut told me this was fake. … But you still do it. It's crazy. It's almost like target fixation.” —DR KATINA MICHAEL

Trust your instincts and don’t rush when dealing with potential security threats, advises Professor Michael. Like many high-pressure situations, taking a moment to evaluate the situation properly may prevent a potential crisis.

You are the product

“So, every time we receive a link in our phone, every time we receive an unsolicited email, if we accidentally click that link, that information can go into the dark web. And according to today's rate, you can buy an Australian passport in the dark web for $1,100, a driving licence $1,000. If you want to access someone's Facebook or Instagram page, $300. That's today's rate in the dark web if you want to access.” —PROFESSOR SHARIAR AKTER

Professor Akter reveals the real-life consequence of phishing scams, and the current market value of your stolen personal information. By illustrating the ease of someone purchasing ID documents and social media account access in a few clicks, Professor Akter underlines the significance of cybersecurity.

 

Stock image of Australian passports on a postcard collage background Professor Shariar Akter warns of stolen identification documents such as passports being sold on the dark web. Image: Unsplash.

Password principles

“Multi-factor authentication for any source of passwords. Password has to be 12 characters or more…Passwords should have symbols, letters, and numbers… [and] different passwords for different accounts. The same password shouldn't be used for your Commbank app and your Facebook account.” —PROFESSOR SHARIAR AKTER

We constantly hear advice on password safety, so it’s easy to become complacent. Professor Akter provides a timely reminder of the fundamentals of password safety including multi-factor authentication and unique password creation. Read more about safe cybersecurity practices, including the use of passphrases.

Cold calling

“We've blocked about a billion calls in the last six months. You're saying you're still getting them. We're blocking about a billion. It's a whack-a-mole game…There must be a maths professor in the room can tell me how many different combinations you can get out of 10 numbers, but you know it's infinite. It approaches infinity anyway.” —THE HON STEPHEN JONES MP

According to research by the National Anti-Scam Centre, one in three reported scams happen by phone. Scam calls are a serious and growing threat – and Stephen Jones has the numbers to prove it. To minimise the impact on you, the National Anti-Scam Centre advises screening unknown numbers, hanging up if you are not sure who a caller is and never providing remote access to your computer.