The Australian Government has set a target of being the ‘most cyber secure country’ in the world by 2030, however, hitting this goal will not be without its challenges.
As the country strives towards achieving this goal, it must contend with the increasing threats of cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure and public sector agencies.
Cyberattacks have been on the rise, with high profile cases such as the Optus and Medibank data breaches and the Latitude Financial Services and Service NSW data breaches, which have all put sensitive information at risk.
To address these challenges, the Federal Government is investing $1.35 billion to improve Australia’s cybersecurity measures.
This investment includes the establishment of a Coordinator for Cyber Security, supported by a National Office for Cyber Security, which will provide a centrally coordinated approach to delivering the Government’s cyber security responsibilities.
The move is expected to improve the coordination and integration among government agencies in responding to cyber threats.
The Government is currently developing the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy to help it reach its vision of making Australia the most cyber secure nation by the end of the decade.
The strategy will outline the Government’s long-term vision for the future of Australian cyber security, and the concrete steps required to achieve its long-term goals.
Australia’s first ever Cyber Security Minister, Clare O’Neill, recently stated the strategy would help define how all areas of government will work together to protect Australians from cyber threats.
“The cyber threat is growing every day,” she said.
“As a Government we are committed to increasing Australia’s national cyber resilience and capabilities in tackling these threats, on the road to becoming a world leader in cyber security by 2030.”
It appears the Government is already making headway in achieving its goal, with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, famously known by the acronym MIT, recently ranking Australia number one on its Cyber Defense Index.
The Cyber Defense Index assesses the world’s 20 largest and most digitally forward economies, ranking them based on their preparation against, and response and recovery from, cybersecurity threats.
Countries are assessed across four pillars – critical infrastructure, cybersecurity resources, organizational capacity, and policy commitment – with Australia ranking first in three of the four pillars to gain a top aggregate score of 7.83.
The report cites Australia’s ranking reflects the Government’s efforts to use digital tools and regulations to safeguard personal data and digital transactions, as well as Its commitment to overhauling cybersecurity laws.
Achieving the goal of being the most cyber secure country in the world by 2030 will require sustained effort and a long-term commitment to cybersecurity. However, the Government’s investment and focus on this issue, coupled with Australia’s top ranking on the Cyber Defense Index, provide a strong foundation for progress towards this ambitious target.
