Optus and Medibank customer information hacked

Australians have been reminded to stay vigilant as both Optus and Medibank continue to battle the aftermath of major data breaches. Between those two companies alone, more than a third of Australians have had their personal details stolen by alleged hackers who gained access to passport numbers, drivers’ licences, email and personal addresses, mobile numbers and even Medicare numbers and medical history.

The fallout from these data breach continues, with thousands of customers now scrambling to get new identity documents, many at the expense of Optus and potentially Medicare, with the costs becoming eye-watering and a class-action lawsuit potentially looming.

While Optus in particular is wearing the blame, and the costs, for this data breach, the widespread leak of details of customers’ private information has brought into focus data retention requirements for Australian companies, which experts say aren’t necessary and leave Aussies vulnerable.

Are clubs/pubs a target for cyber-attacks?

 The main motivation for cyber-attacks remains money. On this score, many clubs and pubs believe they are not a high potential target, but the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Cyber Security Centre have highlighted that small and medium businesses are significant targets.

In USA gaming venues, Cyber security continues to grab headlines for both commercial and tribal casinos that have been hacked, had customer data stolen, and in some cases had to close temporarily. The problem for tribal casinos has gained prominence more recently, with the Indian Gaming Commission reporting in 2021 that cyberattacks jumped 1,000% since 2019.

While in Australia, a significant breach at Wrest Point Casino forced the casino to close for weeks due to a significant ransomware attack last year.

Safeguarding your business

In Australia, Secom Technology is a specialist IT company for the hospitality industry and uses the Untangle NG Firewall solution to protect its customers. NG Firewall is a solution that protects customer data in POS and gaming systems, includes intrusion protection that blocks hacking events such as ransomware and phishing attacks, allows for network wide usage policies even when staff and customers access the internet through your business Wi-Fi from their own devices, and is flexible enough to grow along with your hospitality business needs.

 About the Untangle NG Firewall solution

Managing your network and ensuring every device is adequately protected can be a complex and costly task. Untangle’s NG Firewall simplifies network security with a single, modular, software platform designed specifically for businesses such as pubs and clubs with limited IT resources and budgets.

Untangle NG Firewall provides a browser-based, responsive, and intuitive interface enabling you to quickly gain visibility into the traffic on your network. This includes a dashboard that attaches the reports your business requires as widgets for fast visibility.  From content filtering to advanced threat protection, VPN connectivity to application-based shaping for bandwidth optimization, the Untangle NG Firewall delivers a comprehensive, enterprise-grade network security platform.

Some of Untangle’s NG Firewall features include:

Safe and secure Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is now the top amenity customers want. With Untangle, customers will have the convenience to safely go online wherever they are located in your venue. Basic Internet access can be provided for free, and if higher bandwidth is needed, tiered service offerings can be made available. For back-office operations, the system can prioritise Internet traffic for administration tools, point-of-sale and more.

Protecting purchases and customer information

Mobile payments, such as Apple Pay have become increasingly popular but as a small/medium business, network security is crucial. Untangle’s security solution ensures that businesses can provide customers with streamlined and protected purchases both online and in person.

Ransomware and virus prevention

Intrusion prevention blocks hacking attempts before they reach internal servers and desktops. Untangle’s pre-configured signature-based IPS makes it easier for administrators to provide 24/7 network protection from hackers. Modern malware threats target servers, laptops, tablets, and even mobile phones. While it is important that all of these devices have end-point protection—with the latest versions of software and virus signatures—you may struggle with control over these devices as they connect offsite to unsecured networks, then return to your network with malware on board. You need a first line of defence.

Firewall

Drawing the line that separates internal and external networks, Firewall filters traffic based on IP address, protocol, and port, which enables administrators to designate which systems and services (HTTP, FTP, etc.) are publicly available. Firewall can be run as a transparent bridge to complement a pre-existing firewall and allows you to control inbound and/or outbound access to specific IPs and ports.

Phish blocker

Identity thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated with email and website spoofs that are nearly impossible to discern from the real thing. Phish Blocker protects users from email phishing attacks and fraudulent pharming websites.

To investigate how Untangle NG Firewall can prevent these issues in your business contact:

Secom Technology Group – Phone:  1300 781 224

Leading industry technology supplier and developer Secom has been busy working on a technology-based way of simplifying the requirements to investigate suspicious gaming activity and reduce the time and resource cost involved investigating each instance.

The CashTrax – Analyse Me system, is an AML transaction monitoring detection and reporting software tool using an AI based machine-learning process that analyses suspicious gaming activity and irregular player behaviours that deviate from an accepted baseline, and reports against a venue threshold measurement.

In simple terms, you set up an initial benchmark for player spending behaviours and the system learns and develops to the point where it can differentiate between normal and irregular behaviour. That means no more pages and pages of false reports are flagged that take up time and resources to investigate.

CashTrax then collates and compiles all irregular transactional data and reports, which enable easy access for further investigation and reporting if required. And, you know that they are all true suspicious activities, not false positives. If you already have the Notify Me paging system in your venue it now supports the new CashTrax software.

Trials are currently underway at several clubs across Sydney including Canterbury Leagues Club Group, Club Rivers, and Chatswood RSL.

For more information and a product demonstration call:

Secom Technology Group – Phone:  1300 781 224

Leading industry technology supplier and developer Secom Technology Group has been busy working on a technology-based way of simplifying the requirements to investigate suspicious gaming activity and reduce the time and resource cost involved in investigating each irregularity.

The Cash Trax system, is an AML transaction monitoring, detection and reporting software tool using an AI based machine-learning process that analyses suspicious gaming activity and irregular player behaviours that deviate from an accepted baseline, and reports against a venue threshold measurement.

In simple terms, you set up an initial benchmark for player spending behaviours in your club, combined with OLGR thresholds, and the system learns and develops to the point where it can differentiate between ‘normal’ and ‘irregular’ behaviours. That means no more pages and pages of false reports are flagged that take up time and resources to investigate.

CashTrax then collates and compiles all irregular transactional data and reports, which enables easy access for further investigation and reporting if required. And, you know that they are all true suspicious activities, not false positives.

If you already have the Notify Me paging system in your venue it now supports the new Cash Trax software, but Cash Trax can also operate as either a standalone system or be integrated into your existing paging system.

Trials are currently underway at several clubs across Sydney including Canterbury Leagues Club Group, Club Rivers, and Chatswood RSL.

With a patent pending on the new software technology, we can’t tell you too much about how it works so you will have to go for a demonstration.

Talk to the Secom team on Stand 791 at AGE to see the CashTrax system operating live.

Click here to book a demo >>> https://secomtech.com.au/book-a-demo/

Look out for the new Secom Technology Group branding

Ransomware attacks increasing in Australia.

Australian businesses have been warned to take extra precautions against cyber-attacks in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said analysts were concerned about attacks, whether they were directed at Australia or “collateral damage” from other broader attacks.

“We should be realistic about that threat, businesses should take extra protections,” Mr Dutton told ABC’s Radio National.

“We’re a society that relies on our telecommunications – that’s how we live our lives – and we need to make sure that we’ve got the latest patches installed, password protection etc, those basic things should be undertaken,” he said.

Mr Dutton also noted some might seek to take advantage of the distraction caused by the Ukraine conflict with Australia, like many other countries around the world, introducing sanctions against Russia.

The main motivation for cyber-attacks remains money. On this score, many clubs believe they are not a high potential target, but the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Cyber Security Centre have highlighted that small and medium businesses are significant targets for Conti, a new ransomware variant first observed in 2020.

Conti is a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) affiliate program associated with Russian-speaking cybercrime actors. It enables affiliates to utilise it as desired, provided that a percentage of the ransom payment is shared with the Conti operators as commission.

Safeguarding your business

In Australia, Secom Technology is a specialist IT company, focusing on hospitality industry IT security needs utilising the Untangle NG Firewall solution. This is a sophisticated and flexible app-based firewall solution that protects customer data in POS and gaming systems, includes intrusion protection that blocks hacking events such as ransomware and phishing attacks, allows for network wide usage policies even when staff and customers access the internet through your business Wi-Fi from their own devices, and is flexible enough to grow along with your hospitality business needs.

About the Untangle NG Firewall solution

Managing your network and ensuring every device is adequately protected can be a complex and costly task. Untangle’s NG Firewall simplifies network security with a single, modular, software platform designed specifically for businesses such as pubs and clubs with limited IT resources and budgets.

Untangle NG Firewall provides a browser-based, responsive and intuitive interface enabling you to quickly gain visibility into the traffic on your network. This includes a dashboard that attaches the reports your business requires as widgets for fast visibility.  From content filtering to advanced threat protection, VPN connectivity to application-based shaping for bandwidth optimization, the Untangle NG Firewall delivers a comprehensive, enterprise-grade network security platform.

Some of Untangle’s NG Firewall features include:

Safe and secure Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is now the top amenity customers want. With Untangle, customers will have the convenience to safely go online wherever they are located in your venue. Basic Internet access can be provided for free, and if higher bandwidth is needed, tiered service offerings can be made available. For back-office operations, the system can prioritise Internet traffic for administration tools, point-of-sale and more.

Protecting purchases and customer information

Mobile payments, such as Apple Pay have become increasingly popular but as a small/medium business, network security is crucial. Untangle’s security solution ensures that businesses can provide customers with streamlined and protected purchases both online and in person.

Ransomware and virus prevention

Intrusion prevention blocks hacking attempts before they reach internal servers and desktops. Untangle’s pre-configured signature-based IPS makes it easier for administrators to provide 24/7 network protection from hackers. Modern malware threats target servers, laptops, tablets, and even mobile phones. While it is important that all of these devices have end-point protection—with the latest versions of software and virus signatures—you may struggle with control over these devices as they connect offsite to unsecured networks, then return to your network with malware on board. You need a first line of defence.

Firewall

Drawing the line that separates internal and external networks, Firewall filters traffic based on IP address, protocol, and port, which enables administrators to designate which systems and services (HTTP, FTP, etc.) are publicly available. Firewall can be run as a transparent bridge to complement a pre-existing firewall and allows you to control inbound and/or outbound access to specific IPs and ports.

Phish blocker

Identity thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated with email and website spoofs that are nearly impossible to discern from the real thing. Phish Blocker protects users from email phishing attacks and fraudulent pharming websites.

To investigate how Untangle NG Firewall can prevent these issues in your business contact:

Jason Drew

Secom/Sint – Phone:  1300 781 224

The traditional way of handling IT system technical problems is the break-fix cycle, or worse… the break-Band-Aid cycle. With increased digitisation, network interactions, security of sensitive data and the need for greater mobility, the average club or pub sees more and more complexity in their IT requirements.

Most clubs and hotels are using many data systems and services including gaming systems, check-in systems, till systems, beverage control systems, paging systems and many laptops, desktops and mobile phones, all interconnected. On top of this are many software overlays including firewalls, AV systems and office software all requiring constant protective updates.

Risking a blowout on any one of these systems can be costly and time-consuming and the temptation to patch it to get it up and running quickly, rather than fixing it properly, just leads to a recurrence of the problem repeatedly with escalating costs.

What are “Managed IT Services”?

A “Managed IT Service” is designed to make life for clubs and hotels easier, by monitoring technology proactively 24/7, to detect and fix potential issues before they cause a disaster in the venue during busy trading periods. Using remote monitoring programs, Secom Technology are hospitality systems specialists who understand that in the club/hotel business the most expensive IT problems involve downtime, loss of data and loss of consumer trust. They remove the stress associated with IT for a fixed monthly cost.

How does a Managed IT Service save costs?

• Regulating Cash Flow

Accurately forecasting when you spend money is nearly as important as how much you spend. The biggest issue with the break-fix cycle is that you never know how much something will cost to fix it or patch it and how often the problem will continue to occur.

Managed IT Services provided by Secom Technology help with this problem by offering a reliable, easy to understand fixed monthly pricing structure that is consistent, month after month, year after year. Your technology is monitored constantly, and you’re alerted when it looks like a problem may be looming or software requires an update, so surprise bills become a thing of the past.

• Prevention

Having Managed IT Services means that your IT service provider can help prevent problems from turning in to budget black holes. In the club and hotel industry identifying a maintenance plan means that the most costly of issues, a crash during trade, can be prevented through monitoring and updating hardware and software on a schedule.

By preventing potential problems up front, you get to reduce the surprises that cost both your team’s time, and your bottom line.

• Experience counts

One of the most frustrating aspects of information technology is the labour that comes with installing hardware. You’re also responsible for providing preventive care to ensure the equipment is always performing optimally. Secom’s engineers are experienced and qualified technicians, so they understand the technical scope of hardware and software management. Not only do they make sure the installation is done right, but they also follow up with preventive maintenance to ensure everything is always running at its best.

Traditional break-fix IT doesn’t allow your IT services provider much insight into your ongoing needs. They come in, fix the problem, bill you for their time, and they’re onto another client. Longer-term managed services agreements position Managed IT Services providers as partners that gain a better understanding of your business over time.

Secom has recently added certified Gaming System Engineers as part of their team which has boosted their advanced club experience.

• Better network and data security

Every day, we hear about another business that has had its data exposed through a security breach. When you work with a managed IT service, their primary focus is making sure that your IT assets are current on all security patches, updates and anti-virus software.

• 24/7 Peace of Mind

A club or hotel business needs a managed IT service that understands they don’t shut down for long each day and with security and data issues that threaten hospitality businesses, monitoring your computer systems for routine system outages as well as hardware or software failures around the clock is essential.

If anything goes wrong — even in the middle of the night — an experienced professional is there to resolve the situation.

• Technology Advice from Experts

With managed IT services, you gain access to strategic technology advice. Today’s technology comes with a rapidly-changing array of choices and options. Working with an IT partner, you receive advice on developing an IT budget, reducing costs, vendor management and selecting the right hardware and software for your specific business needs. Making informed purchasing decisions based on unbiased expert advice is yet another way to save time and money.

• Disaster Planning and Protection

Proactively planning and preparing for a disaster isn’t something most business owners like to think about, but it’s critical to keeping your technology running if an unanticipated business interruption occurs.

What sized club or hotel will benefit from Managed IT Services?

Secom’s managed IT services are a scalable solution for any sized club or hotel business, with a fixed monthly cost.

Need to talk to a solutions expert to see what you could gain from managed IT services?

Call Jason Drew today for a free consultation!

 Secom/Sint – Phone:  1300 781 224 

For more information >>> www.secomtech.com.au/services/managed-it/