Cyber criminals are now targeting Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region with increasing frequency — and many businesses still think they’re too small, too remote, or too unknown to become a target.

In this special edition of the Don't Be A Sitting Duck Podcast, Leigh Kefford breaks down two recent ransomware incidents linked to Papua New Guinea and Fiji, including the alleged targeting of PNG’s Magisterial Services by “The Gentlemen” ransomware group and the Qilin ransomware attack against Pacific Building Solutions in Fiji.

This episode explores why Pacific nations are becoming attractive targets for organised cybercrime, how modern ransomware groups operate, and what businesses across PNG, Fiji, Townsville, Cairns, and the broader Pacific need to do now to strengthen cyber resilience before they become the next headline.

Want more cybersecurity insights? Visit sittingduck.com.au for show notes, resources, and the latest updates. Book your free Business Systems Review at nationalpc.com.au/review to uncover vulnerabilities and strengthen your defences.

This podcast was produced by National PC, delivering expert cyber security services in Townsville and Cairns through our National PC Managed IT solutions—secure, reliable, and built for North Queensland businesses.

One phishing email. That’s all it took to expose over 5.5 million customer records.

In this episode, we break down how hackers gained access to ADT’s systems—not through advanced hacking, but by targeting a person. We also dive into the growing wave of ransomware attacks hitting major brands like Zara, Carnival, and 7-Eleven, where attackers don’t just lock your data—they threaten to leak it.

Here’s the reality: if it can happen to global companies with massive security budgets, it can happen to any business.

More importantly, we unpack what this means for your business—and what you need to do right now to reduce your risk.

👉 Book your free Empower Systems Assessment: nationalpc.com.au/empower👉 View Show Notes: sittingduck.com.au

🎧 Listen to the audiobook: Sitting Duck – The Phone Call You Don’t Want to Receive

This podcast was produced by National PC, delivering expert cyber security services in Townsville and Cairns through our Empower Managed IT solutions—secure, reliable, and built for North Queensland businesses.

A Queensland pharmacy chain has allegedly been targeted by the Kairos ransomware group—highlighting a growing trend of cybercriminals targeting essential service providers, not just large enterprises.

In this episode, we break down what happened, how ransomware attacks like this actually work, and why healthcare businesses are increasingly in the firing line. More importantly, we walk through practical steps you can take right now to protect your business before it’s too late.

If you think your business is “too small” to be targeted—this episode might change your perspective.

👉 Book your free Empower Systems Assessment: nationalpc.com.au/empower
👉 Explore more resources: sittingduck.com.au

This podcast was produced by ⁠National PC⁠, delivering expert ⁠cyber security services⁠ in ⁠Townsville⁠ and ⁠Cairns⁠ through our ⁠Empower Managed IT⁠ solutions—secure, reliable, and built for North Queensland businesses.

In this episode of the Don’t Be A Sitting Duck Podcast, we explore two recent and impactful Australian cyber incidents — the University of Sydney data breach and the iiNet customer data exposure. We explain how attackers gained access, what kinds of data were compromised, and most importantly, share actionable advice for businesses to reduce their risk of similar breaches.

Main Stories Covered:

• University of Sydney cyberattack: Personal data of current and former staff, students and alumni accessed via a code library.
• iiNet cyber breach: Contact details and account information from ~280,000 customers exposed through stolen employee credentials.

Key Takeaways:

• Legacy systems and forgotten data repositories can be prime targets — don’t ignore them.
• Stolen credentials are often all a cybercriminal needs to begin a breach.
• Multi-factor authentication and strong access controls are essential.
• Staff training on credential security and phishing awareness is critical.

This podcast was produced by National PC, delivering expert cyber security services in Townsville and Cairns through our Empower Managed IT solutions—secure, reliable, and built for North Queensland businesses.

View Show Notes and full transcript here: https://sittingduck.com.au/podcast/sydney-university-iinet-cyber-breaches-what-businesses-must-learn/

Cyber security is no longer just an IT problem—it’s a board-level responsibility. In this episode, Leigh Kefford breaks down APRA’s CPS 234 Information Security standard in plain English, explaining what it requires, why regulators care, and what happens when controls fail.

We unpack board accountability, third-party risk, security testing, and incident response obligations—and why CPS 234 is fast becoming the benchmark for all Australian businesses, not just banks and insurers.

If your organisation handles sensitive data, relies on cloud providers, or assumes “it won’t happen to us,” this episode is essential listening.

This podcast was produced by National PC, delivering expert cyber security services in Townsville and Cairns through our Empower Managed IT solutions—secure, reliable, and built for North Queensland businesses.

View Show Notes and full transcript here: https://sittingduck.com.au/podcast/cps-234-explained-why-cyber-security-is-a-board-issue/

Day 12 — The Grand Finale of the National PC 12 Days of Phishmas!

This episode brings together everything covered throughoutthe series into a complete, actionable Phishing Defence Checklist. You’ll learn:

• The essential controls all businesses need
• Email, identity, device & cloud protections
• User behaviour improvements
• Backup & recovery readiness
• Tips for suppliers, payments & culture

 Book your free Empower Systems Assessment:

https://nationalpc.com.au/empower

🎧 More episodes & resources:

https://sittingduck.com.au

Day 11 of the National PC 12 Days of Phishmas!

Today we explore why user behaviour is the biggestcybersecurity risk for every organisation.

Technology alone can't protect your business — people playthe defining role.

In this episode:

• Why humans are targeted
• How attackers use trust & urgency
• The psychology behind phishing
• What data harvesting reveals
• How to reduce human error
• How to build a culture of cybersecurity

🛡 Empower Systems Assessment:

https://nationalpc.com.au/empower

🎧 More episodes:

https://sittingduck.com.au

Day 10 of the National PC 12 Days of Phishmas!

Ransomware attacks don’t start with encryption — they startwith access, usually through a phishing email.

This episode breaks down each stage of the ransomware attack chain and shows how to stop it early.

You’ll learn:

•  How attackers gain initialaccess
• What lateral movement lookslike
• How payloads are deployed
• Why backups get targeted
• How extortion and data theftwork
• The key defences that breakthe chain

https://nationalpc.com.au/empower

 🎧 More episodes:

https://sittingduck.com.au

Day 9 of the National PC 12 Days of Phishmas!

Cybercriminals don’t always break into systems — sometimesthey break into people.

This episode explores how scammers use publicly availableinformation, emotional manipulation, and behavioural cues to create targetedattacks.

 In this episode:

•  Where attackers gather information
• How social engineering manipulates users
• Why emotions create cyber vulnerabilities
• How attackers use context to increase success
• What businesses can do to reduce risk

🛡 Book your free Empower Systems Assessment:

https://nationalpc.com.au/empower

🎧 More episodes:

https://sittingduck.com.au

Day 8 of the National PC 12 Days of Phishmas!

Today we’re breaking down Account Takeover (ATO) andHijacked Email Threads — two of the most convincing and damaging forms of phishing.

In this episode:

•  How attackers gain access to real inboxes
• Why hijacked threads are so effective
• What signs to look for
• How these attacks lead to financial loss
• The essential steps to protect your organisation

 🛡 Book your free Empower Systems Assessment:

https://nationalpc.com.au/empower

🎧 More episodes:

https://sittingduck.com.au