Australia drafts first cyber white paper

CSOC

Australia’s Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland recently announced the Federal Government’s need for a Cyber White Paper to serve as a comprehensive review of how Governments, businesses and individuals can work together to realise the full benefits of cyberspace while at the same time ensuring current and emerging risks can be managed.

According to McClelland, the Cyber White Paper will cover a broad range of areas including consumer protection, cyber safety, cyber crime, cyber security and cyber defence. Consultations will begin in the second half of this year with a report to be published in the first half of 2012.

“The Government has commissioned the White Paper to provide insights into how Australia’s electronic operating environment can continue to maximise the benefits of the digital economy, build Australia’s digital future and support Australia’s national security.”

“The Cyber White Paper will examine what we need to do to protect ourselves online, the role of government, industry and the public in protecting our interests, and Australia’s enduring priorities in the cyber environment,” McClelland said in an official statement.

The White Paper will build on the Government’s 2009 Cyber Security Strategy and the establishment of the Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC), CERT Australia, the Cyber Safety Plan and the Digital Economy Strategy.

Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith said the cyber threat to Australia was real, evolving and a growing test to the country’s national security establishment.

The Ministry of Defence also identified electronic warfare, high-end systems integration and software support as critical domestic industries for the future defence capabilities of the country earlier this year. The ministry also signalled its intentions to provide all personnel with additional training on technology-related risk under an ICT Security Awareness Training project.

In the same efforts as the white paper, the government is also looking at the possibility of creating of an Australian cyber security czar or ombudsman.

futuregov.asia