The Australian government will set up a new national office for cybersecurity under the home affairs ministry by April. It will also release a new discussion paper that seeks public opinion on the country’s next national cybersecurity strategy.
According to Clare O’Neil, Australia’s minister for home affairs and cybersecurity, the Australian government is coordinating a huge cyber uplift that’s been occurring now for eight months.
“We want Australia to be the most cyber secure country in the world by 2030 and the cyber strategy is the main mechanism that will get us there.” said O’Neil.
Different parts of the government and the private sector are doing important things in cybersecurity but growing in different directions, O’Neil said.
To address this, the new coordinator will have two important tasks. The first will be to try to provide strategy and structure to the work being done across the government.
O’Neil said that it will mean things like making sure that the billions of dollars that they are investing in cybersecurity each year are being spent in a way that’s strategic and appropriate, that they’ve got different parts of the government communicating with each other and working together on helping lift cybersecurity protections across the country.
New Cybersecurity Strategy
Following a roundtable discussion among industry, security, and technology professionals, the Australian government published a discussion paper asking for feedback on the country’s upcoming national cybersecurity strategy.
The discussion paper is looking for feedback from the general public on a number of topics related to how Australia can become the world’s most cyber-secure country by 2030 and how the government can work with businesses to ensure they are raising cybersecurity standards in partnership with the government.
It also raises concerns about how Australia can collaborate with other countries to improve cybersecurity resilience. The discussion paper includes a topic that invites feedback on how government and business partners can improve cybersecurity resilience and safe access to the digital economy, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
By the end of this year, the Australian government hopes to have a new cybersecurity strategy in place; therefore, it is asking for feedback on the discussion paper by April 15.
It’s important to note that in recent years, records say that the Australian government and institutions are being targeted by ongoing sophisticated state-based cyber hacks. These cyber attacks were widespread, covering “all levels of government” as well as essential services and businesses.
Moreover, earlier this year, on a dark web forum, more than 100,000 alleged login details for portals run by Australian government agencies were found, raising concerns they may be a part of a recent, massive global data breach.
The government’s initiative for cybersecurity is critical to safeguarding critical infrastructure, protecting citizen’s privacy, supporting businesses, and promoting collaboration and information sharing. Therefore, it is essential for governments to prioritize cybersecurity initiatives and allocate sufficient resources to address the ever-growing cyber threats.
