The Daily Telegraph editorial: Federal government communications system lacks basic security

The principles of hard work and detailed mathematical application remain a constant when it comes to code-breaking and computer hacking. Except in Australia, where busting into our government communications system may be a rather less difficult affair.

• Hole in nation’s cyber security exposed

Enigma machines were a brilliantly complicated form of pre-digital era coding device. One ­impressive feature among many of the German-­designed machines was that extra layers of coding complication could always be added.

This effectively made the Enigma machine future-proof. When Polish experts working before World War II began to crack Enigma codes, the ­designers of the device simply introduced those further coding layers.

Obviously, such a machine was a boon during wartime. But an even greater boon for Allied forces was the eventual solving of the Enigma code, revealing German military strategies.

Right up until the end of the war in 1945, many senior German military personnel did not know that their code had been broken wide open years earlier.

Encryption is the only way to assure information is secure.

The story of how the Enigma code was cracked remains the same for modern code-breaking, except that computers make codes more difficult to break while other computers seek to find their way in.

Essentially, the principles of hard work and detailed mathematical application remain a constant when it comes to code-breaking and computer hacking.

Except in Australia, where busting into our government communications system may be a rather less difficult affair.

The Daily Telegraph is able to reveal that an unsecured pit on a main road of Canberra is a potential access point to the 840km of “dark fibre” optic cable. This cable provides a ­secure communications network between more than 85 government agencies.

Monday 18th February 2019. A Telstra cable pit that gives access to ICON, the Intra Government Communications Network, is on the side of the Yarra Glen highway in the Canberra suburb of Curtin. There are no padlocks on the pit covers.

Anyone with a $150 device suitable for the job might be able to bust into the communications network. They may also be able to do so at any of 1766 similar access pits used for the network, known as ICON.

Some of the pits are protected by metal covers secured by household-style padlocks. The pit cover observed by The Daily Telegraph, however, lacked even that basic precaution.

“There is limited physical ­security on those pits and that physical security may be bypassed,” a Canberra-based cyber security expert said. In a cyber era when all government information is potentially of great interest to those without Aus­tralia’s interests at heart, those vulnerable access points must be made completely inaccessible. At least lock them up.

From deadlines to full time

Belinda Sleeman is a former newspaper sub-editor, so she knows how to cope with tough deadlines and hot tempers. So refereeing a high-level rugby league match this weekend should not present any insurmountable challenges.

The 31-year-old will become the first woman to referee at such an elite level, but the experience won’t terrify her.

Speaking of her NRL refereeing prospects last year, Sleeman said: “If it happens, I want it to be because of what I’ve done as an official, not because I’m a female.”

Now it really is happening, and for the right reasons.

Better off Brexit than red

Following recent news out of the UK, the average Australian observer would be aware primarily of British Prime Minister Theresa May’s dismal handling of Brexit.

Indeed, so clumsy has May proved over Brexit that many expect her to be soon gone from 10 Downing Street or to lose the next UK election.

But Brexit woes overshadow even greater problems for May’s rivals within UK Labour.

Seven Labour MPs yester­day quit Labour, a party that they ­described as “institution­ally anti-Semitic”, “racist” and a “threat to national security.”  

One departing MP said that allowing extreme-left Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to ­become Prime Minister would be irresponsible.

Speaking on behalf of the group, ex-Labour MP Luciana Berger said: “This has been a very ­difficult, painful, but necessary decision.

“For my part, I have become embarrassed and ashamed to ­remain in the Labour Party.”

In a rare recent moment for British politics, for once PM Theresa May is actually better off than her main opponent.

The Daily Telegraph, printed and published by the proprietor, Nationwide News Pty Ltd A.C.N. 008438828 of 2 Holt St, Surry Hills NSW 2010, at 26-52 Hume Highway, Chullora. Responsibility for election comment is taken by the Editor, Ben English.