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Cybersecurity

Yesterday

Private and Catholic school students are getting most of the VCE special examination arrangements.

Hackers are targeting private schools for blackmail

Private schools emerge as a new battleground in the fight against cyberattacks, as the average cost to victims jumps to $30,000.

  • Andrew Tillett

October

Optus has denied claims that its 2022 cyberattack was not very sophisticated

Optus disputes ACMA’s ‘not highly sophisticated’ cyberattack claim

The hacker in Optus’ 2022 data breach had “a high degree of knowledge” of the telecommunications group’s confidential systems, Optus has claimed.

  • Jenny Wiggins
Small business want protection from Labor’s proposed overhaul of privacy laws.

Small business wants out of privacy laws as data breaches rise 215pc

The small business lobby is pushing to limit the reach of Labor’s overhaul of the Privacy Act to firms with annual turnover above $10 million, up from the current threshold of $3 million.

  • Tom Burton
Cyber Security Minister Tony Burke says new powers are long overdue.

New laws to force business to beef up cyber protection

The federal government will give itself new powers allowing it to intervene when businesses are hit by a cyberattack or to prevent one.

  • Andrew Tillett

September

The global IT crisis was the result of a software update provided by CrowdStrike,

Why competition laws could increase the risk of blue screen attacks

We should beware of one-size-fits-all technology policies that could open smart devices to the third-party vulnerabilities that caused the CrowdStrike outage.

  • Michael Rogers and Jane M. Hardy
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Nick Humphrey has ambitious plans for Hamilton Locke’s growth.

Legal privilege an ‘attraction’ in law firm’s consulting play

HPX Group chief executive Nick Humphrey says rolling consulting services into a legal practice means clients have a better chance of taking advantage of legal privilege.

  • Maxim Shanahan
Qoria, formerly Family Zone Cyber Safety, is focused on cyber safety for children.

Cyber safety group Qoria in $25m cash call; UCP on ticket

The cyber safety and internet monitoring group, which was this year the subject of US private equity interest, is offering shares at 37¢ a piece.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Use a free online data leak checker to see if your information has been involved in a hack.

SMSFs are a $1 trillion honeypot for hackers

The success of the retirement savings system has become an irresistible target for global cybercriminals.

  • Tim Mackay
There are fears that digital connections in everyday consumer goods will lead back to China.

Australia must be wary of Beijing’s ears and hands in consumer goods

The US is banning Chinese-made EVs with internet connections for fear they will be used for surveillance or sabotage. Australia will need to step up too.

  • Alastair MacGibbon
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

Cybersecurity for the C-suite, not just the IT crowd

At Tuesday’s Australian Financial Review Cyber Summit, the corporate regulator warned boards and managers against “cyberwashing”.

  • The AFR View
Tribeca Investment Partners’ Jun Bei Liu thinks the market may be too optimistic about Nvidia.

It’s tough to make an outsize return in cybersecurity, big funds say

Hack ETF, an index that tracks the performance of the global cybersecurity sector, was up 72 per cent in five years. The S&P500 rose 87 per cent in that time.

  • Updated
  • Cecile Lefort
ASIC Commissioner Simone Constant said talk of corporate compliance in cyber could hide the cruel criminal conduct occuring.

ASIC readies to wield a big stick against boards lax on cybersecurity

The regulator is talking about investigating directors who have been remiss in guarding against hackers. Not everyone thinks that’s the best approach.

  • Paul Smith
John Mullen, the former chairman of Toll, says with the benefit of hindsight he might have paid a ransom when hackers stole data from his private maritime museum.

Why John Mullen wishes he’d paid a cyber ransom

When hackers targeted Qantas chairman John Mullen’s private maritime museum, he didn’t pay the ransom out of principle.

  • Tess Bennett
Australian Signals Directorate director-general Abigail Bradshaw.

Cyberspies phone businesses to warn of danger but half don’t respond

The Australian Signals Directorate’s new director-general Abigail Bradshaw says there is a stigma to being attacked, but it is costly for companies.

  • Max Mason
Privacy commission Carly Kind said regulation was an important to force organisations to take steps to minimise the impact of data breaches.

Regulators warn cyber reforms won’t provide immunity from prosecution

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has outlined changes that would provide some cover for companies to provide more information to agencies after a cyberattack.

  • Tess Bennett
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In our world, cybersecurity is no longer guaranteed, says Burke

Cybersecurity Minister Tony Burke warns that cyberattacks are evolving so quickly the “normal methods of how government would assist just aren’t appropriate.”

ASIC is investigating how boards and directors have responded to cyberattacks following warnings from ASIC chairman Joe Longo.

ASIC pursues board directors over cyber breaches 

ASIC says more investigations are underway, scrutinising how boards and directors have responded to cyberattacks.

  • Tess Bennett
Home Affairs and Cyber Minister Tony Burke will unveil new laws at the AFR Cyber Summit on Tuesday.

Business to get cyber ‘safe harbour’ protections

New laws will mean companies cannot be punished based on data they share with authorities while trying to recover from cyberattacks.

  • Paul Smith
Cocoon chief executive Trent Telford in Washington.

Aussie cyber firm goes it alone with US expansion

Trent Telford is on a high after his firm Cocoon Data scored a Google deal and made progress cracking the US market, but he says it’s no thanks to the Australian government.

  • Matthew Cranston
An AI deepfake image by Eliot Higgins, the founder of investigative outlet Bellingcat, purports to show Donald Trump being arrested.

Why AI is a double-edged sword in the fight against cyberattacks

Artificial intelligence can overwhelm traditional cybersecurity based on rigid rules and human oversight. But it can also provide the best defence.

  • Rita Gatt

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/cybersecurity--editorial-use--1nep