A cross-sector taskforce of specialists from the defence, power, overall health and economical products and services sectors has been designed to speed up the adoption of market cyber security standards across Australia.
The taskforce, which held its first meeting on Monday, is the end result of an “Australian-first” collaboration among the NSW government, AustCyber and Criteria Australia.
It follows earlier reports on Monday that the federal government is crafting minimum cyber protection standards for corporations, including essential infrastructure, as element of its future cyber protection strategy.
The taskforce will focus its endeavours on “harmonising baseline standards and giving clarity for sector precise added standards and guidance” and improving upon interoperability.
It also aims to enhance “competitiveness standards by sector for the two provider and consumers” and assistance Australian cyber protection firms to seize options globally.
In addition to NSW Customer Company Minister Victor Dominello and associates from AustCyber and Criteria Australia, the taskforce members are:
- QuickStep CEO and taking care of director Mark Burgess
- QuickStep CFO Alan Tilley
- Defence NSW director Peter Scott
- Group of 8 CEO Vicki Thomson
- Electricity Networks Australia CEO Andrew Dillon or standard manager Jill Cainey
- Fintech Australia COO Rebecca Schot-Guppy
- Australian Wellness Care & Healthcare facility Affiliation CEO Alison Verhoeven
- ANDHealth managing director Bronwyn Le Grice
- Australian Private Hospitals Affiliation CEO Michael Roff
- Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox
- Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton
- Australian Data Industry Affiliation standard manager Simon Bush
- CyberCX CEO John Paitaridis
- CISO Lens Founder James Turner
Dominello mentioned the taskforce is the future essential move to bolster the NSW government’s cyber protection defences and to cement the state’s situation as a cyber protection hub.
It follows the government’s $240 million expense in cyber security last 7 days to improve the cyber protection capability after urgent phone calls by the auditor-standard to shore up the state’s defences.
“We know that the current plethora of various protection standards make it complicated for government and market to know what they’re buying when it comes to cyber protection,” he mentioned.
“By bringing collectively market to detect pertinent standards and deliver other functional guidance, we aim to make government a lot more safe, although giving way for market to make their cyber resilience.
“This will realise our ambition for NSW to become the leading cyber security hub in the Southern Hemisphere.”
AustCyber chief Michelle Price tag mentioned the taskforce will serve as a “pilot for the relaxation of the region to enable immediate adoption of regular, internationally harmonised cyber protection standards and guidance.”
“There is a danger underlying the velocity of electronic transformation in Australia, and the new standards will be essential in serving to deliver a regular, market-concentrated framework for NSW,” she mentioned.
“The freshly set up activity power will assist NSW corporations comprehend what they need to have to do to tackle the complex obstacle of protecting against cyber attacks.”
Criteria Australia chief Adrian O’Connell said the taskforce is an present growth to strengthen cyber security through standards.
“Standards Australia appears to be like ahead to doing the job along with the NSW Govt, AustCyber and the members of the activity power in giving info close to technical guidance and promoting market backed protection techniques by way of the use of standards,” he mentioned.
