Susie Jones - Director, Co-founder & CEO of Cynch Security
In 2018, Susie, alongside Adam Selwood, co-founded Cynch Security, a Melbourne-based company that partners with business owners, and continuously profiles their cyber risks, providing them with information on how to improve their Cyber Fitness.
Susie has worked in some of the largest organisations in Australia, heading up Cyber Security Business Services at AusPost, and has won the 2017 Risk Revolution Delegate Award from RiMS Australasia.
Susie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susiecynchsecurity/
Cynch Security: https://cynch.com.au/
Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.
“I read a book by Kevin Mitnick on social engineering, so I'm sort of a low-level non-tech hacker. So I think just danger enough, just knowledgeable enough to be dangerous.”
“Unfortunately, cybercriminals are some of the best collaborators in the world, so once they find something that works, they will tell all their friends.”
“I'm working harder now than what I think I have ever in my life, but for the right reasons for once.”
“If only they would use their power for good instead of evil.”
“It's not just the skin on your back anymore. It's about your customers. It's about your staff... If that gets wiped out tomorrow, all of everything that you've worked on for your whole life can, can be gone.”
What's the single easiest thing small businesses can do to improve security?
Use a password manager—even if people say they don't like them, Jones insists it's simple and effective and should just be done.
Should I use free Wi-Fi when traveling?
Avoid free Wi-Fi where possible, and if you must use it, use a reputable (preferably paid) VPN rather than a free one with no track record.
How should I manage access to data and apps in my business?
Limit who has access to data, use multi-factor authentication wherever possible, periodically review and revoke access to third-party apps connected via Facebook/Google, and get rid of personally identifiable data you don't actually need.
What should I check before signing up for a new business tool or service?
Consider what data will go into the service, read the privacy policy, check where data is stored (Australia vs overseas), and confirm multi-factor authentication is offered before trusting a service with sensitive or financial data.
What should businesses do when an employee leaves?
Maintain a 'leaver checklist' documenting exactly what access and passwords need to be removed or changed when a staff member departs, so nothing is overlooked under time pressure.
Susie Jones describes deciding to quit her corporate job during a random Saturday massage, texting her co-founder Adam that she was quitting, then leaving Australia Post a month later to join the CyRise accelerator full-time.
Susie Jones recounts a friend's mother, a mortgage broker, whose email was compromised after she entered her login into a fake contract-request popup while distracted by a phone call. The hacker had access to her email for six hours, and she later took early retirement from the devastation it caused.
Susie Jones recounts the excitement of Cinch's first trial customer (sold by her co-founder on a weekend trip) and the first annual membership sign-up, both celebrated with beer, contrasted with the long process of getting the business to ask customers to pay.
Drawn from the episode transcripts.
Susie Jones explains that small businesses often hold customer data, staff information, bank details, and contracts with larger companies, making them attractive targets—and cybercriminals can use a small business as a backdoor into bigger clients, as happened in the Target hack via an HVAC contractor.
From episode 626→Susie Jones recommends using a VPN whenever connecting to free or public Wi-Fi, favoring reputable paid brands over free ones, since free Wi-Fi is a common vulnerability attackers exploit.
From episode 626→Mentioned on 1 episode Susiewasn’t on.
Every episode featuring Susie Jones on The Daily Talk Show.
