The recent cyberattack on the University of WA – forcing thousands of students to urgently reset passwords after hackers accessed login credentials – is a stark reminder that no organisation is immune from cybercrime.
While UWA acted swiftly to contain the breach, leading IT provider CMTG says the incident underscores the need for every organisation to have a proactive, layered cybersecurity strategy in place before an attack occurs.
“Universities, law firms, hospitals, mining companies – we’ve seen every sector targeted,” CMTG Managing Director Carl Filpo said.
“The cost of a breach is not just measured in dollars.
“It’s also lost productivity, reputational damage, and in some cases, permanent loss of trust.”
In just six months, three major WA institutions have been hit – UWA for the second time in three years, Notre Dame University in February, and in May, the WA Legal Practice Board, where a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate accessed sensitive banking details from local law firms.
According to CMTG, the common factor in these attacks is that hackers are exploiting human behaviour, outdated systems, and insufficient monitoring to gain a foothold.
“Organisations need ongoing vulnerability assessments, robust identity management, multi-factor authentication and rapid incident response capabilities,” Carl said.
“Prevention is always cheaper and less disruptive than a cure.”
CMTG’s recent $2.3 million data centre upgrade in Perth – which is due to be completed next month – is designed to deliver faster, more secure infrastructure for WA businesses, backed by advanced cybersecurity monitoring and incident response.
“Cybersecurity can no longer be treated as an optional extra or a one-off investment,” Carl said.
“It’s a continuous process, and one that needs to be embedded into the culture and operations of every organisation.”
