Cyber Crime Aware During COVID-19
August 29, 2020

The past few weeks have seen many more of us working from outside our office wall. With this digital change comes new cyber threats. Here’s some tips and tricks to keep your data secure:


Keeping data safe from loss


  • Home systems tend to be less secure, and there’s a danger that people will forward confidential data to computers or printers without up-to-date virus protection. Few people think to change the default password on their wi-fi router but, when they don’t, anyone who can receive the signal is able to log on and potentially access the data passing over the network.


The risks of counterfeiting


  • Hackers are becoming increasingly skilled at creating counterfeit invoices, or changing the payment details on authentic documents, in an attempt to divert money to their own accounts. In the office it’s easy to walk over and check with someone but at home these systems can break down. It’s ok to pick up the phone and ask someone to verify the transaction.


Make staff training a priority


  • If you are attacked, the most important thing is to recover quickly, and that means incidents should be reported immediately. Your team must feel absolutely confident they won’t be punished if they made a mistake.


It’s worthwhile reminding your team to:



  • be on the lookout for phishing emails, particularly those related to COVID-19
  • follow the same protocols to sensitive data as you would in the office
  • ensure personal device security settings are set to an equivalent level as work devices
  • refrain from connecting to public WiFi
  • keep work devices for work only, and refrain from using for personal or family use.

Share this article:

Related articles

Applications Now Open for the 2026 Father James Wall Bursary

July 14, 2026
As CDF celebrates 70 years of empowering Catholic communities, we are delighted to announce that applications for the 2026 CDF Father James Wall Bursary are now open. To mark our 70th anniversary, the value of each bursary has increased from $5,000 to $7,000. Seven bursaries will be awarded across the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale, Ballarat and Bunbury, supporting outstanding Year 10 students as they complete Years 11 and 12 at a Catholic secondary school. Honouring a founding vision Established in 2002, the Father James Wall Bursary honours the vision of CDF's founder, Fr James Wall. In 1956, at a time when Melbourne was experiencing a post-war population boom and government funding for Catholic schools was unavailable, Fr Wall established the Fund, as a new way for Catholic communities to invest in the future of education and support schools in growing communities. For 70 years, CDF has continued that mission, partnering with Catholic organisations to build schools, churches, health care services, aged care facilities and other projects that strengthen communities. The Father James Wall Bursary carries that same spirit forward, investing directly in young people who demonstrate the leadership, service and compassion that Fr Wall's vision was built upon. Since its establishment, the Bursary has supported 119 students, helping them complete their senior secondary education and grow into confident leaders making a meaningful contribution to their schools and communities. CDF CEO John McClusky said the increase in bursary value is a fitting way to mark the anniversary. " As we celebrate CDF's 70th anniversary, it is fitting that we honour Fr James Wall's legacy by increasing the value of these bursaries and continuing to invest in young people who are already demonstrating leadership, compassion and service within their school communities." 

Multi Factor Authentication - The Second Lock That Could Protect Your Organisation

July 6, 2026
Cyber criminals are constantly looking for the easiest way into your systems, and unfortunately, passwords alone are no longer enough. Even strong passwords can be compromised through phishing emails, data breaches, malware or social engineering attacks. Once a criminal has your password, gaining access to email, cloud platforms, financial systems and sensitive information can be alarmingly straightforward. This is where Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) becomes one of the most effective cyber security controls available. Think of it as a second lock on your front door: a stolen password may open the first, but MFA prevents criminals from walking straight in.

Announcement: CDF Deputy Chair Appointment

July 1, 2026
Announcement: 1 July 2026
More

CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has indemnified the Catholic Development Fund ABN 15 274 943 760 (the Fund) against any liability arising out of a claim by investors in the Fund. In practice, this means your investment is backed by the assets of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Fund is required by law to make the following disclosure. Investment in the Fund is only intended to attract investors whose primary purpose for making their investment is to support the charitable purposes of the Fund. Investors’ funds will be used to generate a return to the Fund that will be applied to further the charitable works of the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale and Bunbury. The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or the depositor protection provisions in the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). The investments that the Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by ASIC. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and investments in the Fund are not comparable to investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed here or by contacting the Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.