Cybersecurity
Cyber security

What you need to know about the Australian government’s 7-year plan to ramp up cyber security

- November 23, 2023 4 MIN READ

After lengthy deliberation, the Australian government has released its 2023–2030 Cyber Security Strategy, which aims to make Australia one of the most cyber-secure nations in the world by 2030. It’s a worthy goal, considering Australia was ranked as the fifth-most powerful cyber nation in a 2022 report by Harvard University’s Kennedy School. The strategy outlines… Read more »

Shipping contrainer terminal
Cyber security

The DP World logistics cyber attack looks like sabotage by a ‘foreign state actor’

- November 14, 2023 3 MIN READ

A serious cyberattack has disrupted operations at several of Australia’s largest ports, causing delays and congestion. Late on Friday, port operator DP World detected an IT breach that affected critical systems used to coordinate shipping activity. DP World is one of Australia’s largest port operators, handling approximately 40% of the nation’s container trade across terminals… Read more »

cyber hacking
Cyber security

The data breach at DNA biotech 23andMe reveal the risks of interconnected data

- October 30, 2023 3 MIN READ

On Oct. 6, news broke that 23andMe, the genomics company that collects genetic material from thousands of people for ancestry and genetic predisposition tests, had a massive data breach. But as it turns out, the company’s servers were not hacked. Rather, hackers targeted hundreds of individual user accounts — allegedly those that had repeated passwords.… Read more »

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Steve Martin & MIchael Caine
Cyber security

The ATO is Australia’s biggest cyber scams victim, losing $500m & revealing major flaws in the myGov ID system

- August 2, 2023 3 MIN READ

The Australian Tax Office (ATO) paid out more than half a billion dollars to cyber criminals between July 2021 and February 2023, according to an ABC report. Most of the payments were for small amounts (less than A$5,000) and were not flagged by the ATO’s own monitoring systems. The fraudsters exploited a weakness in the… Read more »

Cybersecurity
Cyber security

AustCyber launches innovation network

- May 23, 2023 2 MIN READ

The federal government has backed AustCyber to launch of the AustCyber Innovation Network to help bolster the sector as it become front and centre of both the political and business response to online threats. The network, part of the Stone & Chalk Group, is designed to nurture commercial relationships, provide thought leadership, and help companies… Read more »

Cyber security

Investing in cybersecurity should be a ‘no brainer’ for the budget, data expert says

- May 5, 2023 2 MIN READ

Data strategy veteran Lisa Byrne from Notitia expects to see increased investment in cyber security investment in the federal budget next Tuesday, saying the move is a ‘”no brainer” for the government. Byrne argues it’s critical for small business to be incentivised to implement cyber security systems and upskill their workforce to deal with the… Read more »

Scott Handsaker
Cyber security

So long & thanks for all the phish: cybersecurity accelerator CyRise calls it quits

- April 27, 2023 2 MIN READ

Cybersecurity accelerator CyRise, which has programs in Sydney and Melbourne, will close next month after five years. The program has backed 39 startups across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India and the US since it launched in 2017, with the backing of British IT services and consulting firm NTT and Deakin University. The program pioneered support… Read more »

dog under blanket
Cyber security

Cybersecurity people are so stressed out, they’re bailing from their jobs after breaches

- April 27, 2023 3 MIN READ

The lack of skilled cyber security talent is a bigger challenge for companies in Australia than overseas, according to new research that also found high stress levels and inadequate supporting technologies are causing many workers to bolt after a data breach. Fully 45% of the Australian CISOs surveyed for Trellix’s newly released global study, The… Read more »

data
Cyber security

The 5 simple questions every founder needs to ask to keep their startup cybersafe

- April 18, 2023 3 MIN READ

As a victim of data breaches from well-known Australian companies, I have come to realise the importance of cybersecurity. It is alarming to see that even after such data breaches, banks and utilities still ask for personal information that is publicly available and already compromised. This makes one wonder if these companies are doing enough… Read more »

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Steve Martin & MIchael Caine
Cyber security

Scams are now costing Australians more than $3 billion a year

- April 17, 2023 3 MIN READ

Australians lost a record $3.1 billion to financial scammers in 2022. However, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) suggests the real figure is likely much higher, with an estimated 30% of scams going unreported. The findings come from the watchdog’s Targeting Scams report, which combines data from Scamwatch, ReportCyber, the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange… Read more »

Cybersecurity
Cyber security

The Australian government’s TikTok ban is barking up the wrong cybersecurity tree

- April 14, 2023 4 MIN READ

Australia has joined other countries in announcing a ban on the use of TikTok on government devices, with some states and territories following suit. The rationale was based on security fears and, in particular, the risk the platform will be used for foreign interference operations by China. TikTok is a video-sharing platform operated by ByteDance,… Read more »

CYNAPSE
Cyber security

ACT launches CYNAPSE, a new cyber workforce program to address AI bias in hiring

- April 11, 2023 2 MIN READ

It’s not news that artificial intelligence (AI) can be biased, and since AI-powered tools are used for almost everything now, including recruiting, there is unconscious bias in hiring processes.  ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has launched a new cyber workforce program to address the issue. The Cyber National Assessment Program for Skills and Employment (CYNAPSE)… Read more »

Lisa Byrne
Cyber security

A data security expert says the federal government’s cybersecurity strategy has the wrong end of the stick

- March 16, 2023 2 MIN READ

The Australian government’s ambition to “become the most cyber secure nation by 2030” is destined to fail unless customers demand “security certifications” from businesses, according to a leading data security expert. Lisa Byrne, from data strategy firm Notitia, said customers will be the catalyst for businesses to “wake up” to their responsibility to provide effective… Read more »