New strategy will strengthen Australia's cyber resilience

Professor Matthew Warren, Director of the RMIT Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation  

Topics: cyber security, cyber crime and threats, Australian Cyber Security Strategy

“Over ten years ago Australia introduced its first National Security Strategy. Since then, the scale and scope of the problems it was designed to address have increased, but we have seen subsequent Australian governments deal with this very complex problem.

“The new National Cyber Security Strategy highlights several key changes and investments that aim to:

• support small and medium businesses to deal with cyber incidents 
• strengthen critical infrastructure and enhance government cyber security 
• activate regional and global cyber resilience initiatives 
• protect and respond against ransomware attacks.

“The strategy demonstrates the government recognises the importance of protecting all of Australia from critical infrastructure to small businesses and citizens.  

“It’s great they have acknowledged the key role that universities have in contributing to sovereign capability development and innovation, especially through research.

“We are living in the new cyber normal. This strategy is a key step in helping to protect Australia in the future against the wide range of cyber threats that Australia faces.

“Unlike previous national cyber security strategies, this strategy clearly defines what success looks like and the three phases of implementation needed to get to a successful outcome.”

Professor Matthew Warren is a researcher in the areas of cyber security and critical infrastructure.

Interviews: RMIT External Affairs and Media, 0439 704 077 or news@rmit.edu.au