Australia ups the ante in fight against cyber criminals
Countries like Russia that allow international gangs to continue online will be called out under a boosted Aussie plan to tackle crime.
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Foreign powers providing cover and tacit support for cyber criminals will be named and shamed under an updated Australian plan to tackle online crime.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews will on Monday launch the 2022 National Plan to Combat Cybercrime, a multi-agency, co-ordinated plan to take on cyber criminals.
To be launched at the new Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre in Sydney, the plan updates the 2013 strategy, and aims to prevent cybercrime, investigate and prosecute those who perpetrate it, and help communities, businesses and individuals recover if they have been attacked by online criminals.
The $89 million centre in Sydney, known as the JPC3, will be led by the Australian Federal Police, who will have 60 officers assigned there, along with state and territory law enforcement officers, private sector experts and Commonwealth agencies.
It will be headed by Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough, who this year became the AFP’s first full-time Assistant Commissioner dedicated to countering cybercrime.
The national plan aims to meet head-on the threats posed by cybercriminal including hackers, and international ransomware criminal gangs, those who produce and distribute child abuse material, and individual domestic violence abusers who use technology to talk, harass and threaten victims.
The plan, a copy of which has been obtained by News Corp, notes that one of it intended approaches will be “appropriately calling out those that willingly support or provide safe havens to cyber criminals.’’
Many international cyberattacks operate with apparent impunity offshore, including in Russia.
Cyber-crime, including identity theft, ransomware, frauds, scams, disruption of service and extortion cost Australia at least $33bn last year, with the Australian Cyber Security Centre receiving 67,500 cybercrime reports, an average of one every eight minutes. This is thought to be an under-reported figure with real losses significantly higher than those which were self-reported.
The updated plan will focus on three pillars – preventing and protecting cybercrime, including by working with global partners to strengthen international responses to borderless criminals who operate in cyber space.
Investigating, disrupting and prosecuting cyber criminals will also be a priority, with the plan stating it would be “supporting law enforcement to access electronic evidence in foreign jurisdictions to investigate and prosecute cybercrime and cybercriminals, who are often operating offshore.’’
It would also help Australians recover from cyberattacks, and seek to stop illicit and fraudulent payment structures which enable the criminals.
The plan was endorsed by Commonwealth, state and territory police ministers on Friday.
Minister Andrews said the new cybercrime centre would back up the national plan, and would aggressively target and shut down cyber threats and bring offenders to justice.
“Our national plan will support industries grow to online, build confidence in the digital economy, ensure safer online spaces for children, and better support law enforcement to bring to justice those who would break our laws,’’ she said.
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said cybercrime was “the break-and-enter of the 21st century.
“Our intelligence shows that an offender in Eastern Europe can reach into the wallet of a hardworking Australian living in Eden, Elizabeth Bay or Exmouth,’’ he said.
“There is no tyranny of distance when it comes to cybercriminals who are trying to disrupt the lives of too many Australians.’’
Mr Kershaw said the AFP would continue to work with global law enforcement agencies to bring overseas offenders to justice.
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