Dear Participant,

This is an invitation to participate in a data collection round for this research project, which aims to examine the cyber-fitness, security, preparedness, engagement, confidence, culture, awareness and resilience, including potential cyber-security gaps within Micro and Small Organisation business community.

Whether you consent to take part in this research project is entirely voluntary and there is no obligation to do so. If you decide not to participate, then this will not jeopardise your relationship with the research staff involved in this research project, or Deakin University.

If you agree to take part in the research project, you will be asked to indicate your consent to participate by clicking the web link below to proceed to the survey. By clicking the web link below, you indicate that you understand this information and that you give your consent to participate in the research project. You should then proceed to complete the online survey, which asks about various aspects of your cyber-security status, usage, experiences and awareness perceptions during the last twenty-four (24) months.

The online survey consists of a total of thirty-two (32) questions, with the majority being multiple choice in nature and several text-based general view questions, designed to help interpret the information you provide. The online survey would normally take up to ten (10) minutes of your time to complete and we recommend that you undertake the online survey in one sitting.

This online survey is anonymous and all data collected will be non-identifiable and de-identified where necessary to maintain anonymity and will be securely stored for a period of at least five (5) years after the final publication of the research outcomes, then destroyed. Withdrawal from this project will not be possible once the information has been de-identified. While there is always some level of risk with this research project, it is anticipated that there is minimal or no anticipated risks to the participants, or to the research investigators.

Participants are invited to contact the principal researcher below should they wish to obtain a summary of the results or further information. The ethical aspects of this research project have been approved as low risk by the Human Research Ethics Committee within the Faculty of Business and Law at Deakin University. If you have any complaints about any aspect of the project, the way it is being conducted or any questions about your rights as a research participant, then you may contact: