Basic Cyber-Security for Recruitment Agencies

If there is one technology item on your ‘to-do’ list for 2024, it should be to review your company’s cyber-security protections.

This video from the USA provides a window to the future for Australian business: Important Cybersecurity Facts to Know and Share One small data breach can easily result in a financial and reputational calamity for your business – and there will be no way to hide with mandatory reporting on the way….

Recruitment agencies are a particular target for hackers given they often store confidential candidate information in the ATS. Personal identifiable information (PII) requires additional protections in Australian Privacy Act (1988) which is currently undergoing major renovation.

Here are a few questions to consider for next year’s business planning :

1. Whilst my ATS system may be secure and GDPR compliant, is candidate data stored on PC’s, in

email mailboxes, or team-based file systems (for re-formatting, staging data transfers, or

other purposes)?

2. Do I really need to retain copies of ID documents and other PII ongoing?

3. Where is the weakest point in my IT systems?

4. If one of my staff had their login details compromised, what could be downloaded/stolen?

5. How carefully are my system admin accounts/passwords managed and protected?

6. How would I respond to a data breach or ransom-ware attack?

It has taken a while (my view!), but the Australian Government is providing some great generic

advice here: Protect yourself | Cyber.gov.au For small-medium business, improving cyber-security

posture is all about making small changes to reduce your greatest vulnerabilities – a risk-based

approach directing continuous improvement.