COVID ‘lifts the bar on raising cyber security’

Telstra boss and panel chair Andy Penn said COVID-19 had created fresh urgency in ramping up Australia’s sovereign cyber capabilities.

There isn’t the level of awareness across businesses and all sectors that there needs to be, says Telstra boss.

Australians can expect widespread advertising campaigns to help raise awareness about cyber security and tough new laws designed to ensure cyber crime is adequately punished, if the government adopts 60 recommendations presented to it by an expert panel.

Handing down his report on Tuesday, Telstra boss and panel chair Andy Penn said COVID-19 had created fresh urgency in ramping up Australia’s sovereign cyber capabilities.

“Never has there been a more important time to be thinking about cyber security and Australia’s cyber defences,” he said.

Because of the virus “and a very significant pivot to working and studying and learning from home, being connected and the digital economy has never been more important,.” Mr Penn said.

“The reality is there isn’t the level of awareness across businesses and all sectors that there needs to be, and it’s a landscape changing very quickly. I think there is a big job to be done in terms of increasing the level of awareness to consumers, as well as small to medium businesses. ”

The panel’s 60 recommen­dations will help form the government’s upcoming 2020 cyber security strategy, which is due in coming months.

The panel recommended increased investment in not-for-profit organisations that support everyday Australians who have been victims of cybercrime, and increased, unified messaging on online safety from government.

It also called for increased assistance to small and medium businesses and the community through cyber security toolkits and practical assistance.

“We tried to look at this very much through the lens of meeting the Prime Minister’s aspiration to be a digitally leading economy by 2030. If you’re going to do that, you need to increase your cyber defences,” Mr Penn said.

Chris Deeble, chief executive of Defence Force provider North­rop Grumman, said the recommendations, if fully imple­ment­ed, would go a long way to strengthening Australia’s capabilities to defend its critical infrastructure.

“It will also go a long way to creating the right awareness at all levels, from industry through to mums and dads at home and understanding what their own obligations are,” he said.