The cyberhackers paid to break into Australian workplace systems
Hackers from Perth are being paid to break into workplace systems after a spate of data breaches at major companies across the country.
Cybersecurity and privacy specialist Riaan Bronkhorst leads a team of cyberhackers at RSM Australia who are specially trained to steal sensitive information from businesses.
Dubbed "ethical hacking", the practice is used to penetrate a company's defences and identify weaknesses.
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At least 3.5 million email addresses were leaked last year alone. Nine
"We as Australians are very trustworthy first of all, so we need to be more vigilant," he told 9News.
For Bronkhorst and his team, breaching a company's network could be as easy as asking a staff member to swipe you into the building.
Once inside they steal laptops and leave behind USB sticks loaded with viruses.
These scenarios are designed to combat the recent rise of cyberattacks, which have seen the personal details of customers and employees at Optus, Medibank, FMG and Yakult leaked onto the dark web.
"Year on year, it's almost doubling in Australia as well as globally, this is something that is not going away," Bronkhorst said.
Per capita, Australia has become a prime target for hackers, ranking seventh across the globe for cybersecurity.
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At least 3.5 million email addresses were leaked last year alone.
To protect yourself online RSM advises users to be selective when logging into free wifi, watching what you post on social media and strengthening all your passwords.
"Stop being as trusting because not everyone walking next to you or letting you into the building is your friend," Bronkhorst said.
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