Got a new smartphone, tablet, laptop or smart device? Congratulations! But before you dive in, take a few minutes to setup your device securely and protect your personal info, identity and digital life from cyber threats. Here’s a simple, practical checklist designed for Australians, to help you stay safe, secure and connected.

Australian drivers are buying more connected vehicles than ever before. Many of them are electric. Many are made by Chinese manufacturers. That combination has raised questions about data security, privacy, and national interest, and while social media is full of speculation, Australian authorities have taken a far more measured approach. So what are Australian security agencies actually saying?

Picture this: Santa’s just finished checking the weather over the Nullarbor, Mrs Claus is sipping a flat white, and the elves are tuning up the sleigh for the big run Down Under. All seems merry — until a dodgy email nearly wrecks Christmas Eve. It happened like this …

If you’re a tradie or sole trader, software updates are probably low on your priority list. You’ve got jobs to quote, invoices to send, tools to maintain, and customers waiting. An update that pops up during the workday feels like bad timing. However, skipping updates is one of the biggest cyber risks facing tradies and one-person businesses in Australia. Cyber criminals actively target sole traders because they know time is tight, and systems are often left unpatched.

In today’s digital world, most of us have dozens of online accounts — from banking to shopping to social media. Using the same password everywhere, or easy-to-guess ones, makes it much easier for cyber criminals to break in and steal your identity, money or data. That’s where password managers come in.

The Christmas holiday season brings joy, generosity, and… a flurry of online activity. For many Australians, that means gifts, online shopping, festive greetings, and maybe a new device or two. But it can also attract cyber-scammers looking to take advantage of the hurry and goodwill. At Arafura Consulting & Media, we believe — Smart • Secure • Connected — means enjoying the holidays safely. Here’s how you (and your loved ones) can stay protected online this festive seaso

More and more of us manage finances and make purchases online — from paying bills to buying gifts. It’s convenient, but also means we need to be a little more careful. Here are some straightforward steps you can take to protect your money and your personal information when banking or shopping over the internet.

A newly compiled collection of 1.3 billion unique passwords and 2 billion unique email addresses has been discovered online. This data wasn’t stolen in a single “big breach” of a company or service. Instead, it’s an aggregate, compiled by the threat intelligence firm Synthient, which scoured both the open and dark web to collect credentials from hundreds of past data breaches, lists used for “credential-stuffing,” and logs from malware-infected devices.

If you’ve ever worried about hackers sneaking into your phone or computer, this week’s tech news proves why a little caution can make a big difference. Between fake WhatsApp updates, sneaky Android spy apps, and deepfake videos appearing on jailbroken iPhones, cybercriminals are finding creative new ways to reach unsuspecting users. The good news is that staying safe isn’t complicated — it just takes awareness and a few smart habits.