Cyberattacks targeted in National Security Strategy

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced the first National Security Strategy for Australia, with a focus on combating cyberattacks.

According to the PM’s website, “The number of cyber incidents has increased by 42 per cent over the past two years. The strategy emphasises the necessity of partnerships - with the Australian community, business and international governments - to better protect the country against potentially devastating cyberattacks and to meet other national security challenges.”

The strategy incorporates development of the Australian Security Centre, which will bring together Defence’s Cyber Security Operations Centre, the Attorney-General’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Australia, ASIO’s Cyber Espionage Branch, elements of the AFP’s High-Tech Crime Operations capability and all-source assessment analysts from the Australian Crime Commission. The Centre will be responsible for:

• developing sophisticated capabilities to maximise Australia’s strategic capacity and reach in cyberspace, giving the government the ability to detect, deter and deny offshore malicious cyber actors targeting Australia;
• developing a comprehensive understanding of the threat to Australian Government networks and systems of national interest;
• responding to and assisting in the mitigation of cyber incidents affecting both government and private sector networks;
• working with critical infrastructure sectors and key industry partners to limit the threat to our nation’s most valuable networks and systems; and
• providing key policy agencies, including the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Attorney General’s Department, Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, DFAT and Department of Defence, with advice and support for their efforts to develop proactive strategies to counter cyberthreats.

A copy of the full strategy is available for download from the Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet website.