Brand protection and domain name management company brandsec has been awarded an AUD231,000 grant from the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program (IGP).
This grant will support the ongoing development of Unphish, brandsec’s online enforcement and takedown software that is designed to protect Australian businesses from the growing threat of online fraud and brand impersonation.
The Industry Growth Program supports startups and small and medium enterprises undertaking commercialisation or growth projects. Through matched grant funding, the program assists recipients like brandsec in scaling up operations, transforming their businesses, and bringing ground-breaking solutions to the market.
Unphish is a tool that automates and streamlines the takedown process across multiple platforms, swiftly eliminating fake websites, fraudulent social media profiles, and other forms of online brand misuse.
The funding will facilitate the integration of a AI-driven engine, improving compliance with platform-specific, industry-specific, and country-specific regulations. It will significantly accelerate the removal of malicious digital properties, making Unphish a valuable resource for Australian businesses committed to safeguarding their digital presence and maintaining their brand integrity.
“Receiving this grant from the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program is a major milestone for brandsec,” said brandsec’s Enforcement Director Ed Seaford. “This funding will allow us to fast-track the development of Unphish and provide Australian businesses with the most robust online enforcement tool available.”
“Cybercriminals create approximately 1.5 million phishing sites every month, with Australian enterprise brands, government departments, and small and medium businesses being prime targets,” continued Seaford. “The problem is becoming more complex as bad actors shift to new platforms to scam consumers. Fake social media profiles now account for 16% of all phishing attacks, and we’re witnessing new platforms being exploited every day. Australia needs a centralised, expert solution to swiftly counter these threats and stay one step ahead—and that’s exactly what Unphish aims to deliver”.
“Unphish has already made significant strides, with leading Australian brands supporting its development through a successful beta trial. We’ve also garnered interest from prominent international brands across the US, UK, South East Asia, and Europe. While our primary mission is to protect Australian businesses, it’s clear there is unmet global demand that we plan to address in the future”.
