[LINK] Symantec calls for Aussie cyber tsar

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Symantec calls for Aussie cyber tsar 
By Julian Bajkowski 
13 November, 2002 9:40 Sydney, Australia
Australian
ComputerWorldhttp://www.computerworld.com.au/idg2.nsf/All/BFC132F74CA0998BCA256C6F007E51E7!OpenDocument&NavArea=Sections&SelectedCategoryName=Security


In a move likely to cause more pained winces in Canberra, Symantec's global
CEO and chairman John Thompson and vice president of security response, Art
Wong have called on the Federal Government to create the position of an
Australian cyber security tsar. Ostensibly in town to promote Symantec's
new integrated 'single view' security integration products -- Symantec
Security Management System (SSMS) and Symantec Incident Management System
(SIMS) -- the dynamic duo wasted no time in telling assembled media that
Australia needed to get its act together on the cyber security front.

"We probably need many, many cyber tsars, people that have the same or
similar mission to make sure that the critical infrastructure of Australia
or [any other country] is protected," Thompson said, adding that serious
attacks were rarely confined to a single country.

In a later interview, Symantec's Art Wong (who was founder of
SecurityFocus), continued the tub-thumping for a cyber tsar, saying that
although Australia was taking information security threats seriously, we
could still do better: "Australia would certainly benefit from [getting a
cyber tsar], it's a means of being aware of the problem in your country and
being able to strategise and coordinate activities in one country amongst
different organisations, be it government or private industry. That sort of
coordination is really necessary to combat the threat we are seeing right
now. There is always more that can be done. I would go so far as to say it
is required and necessary," Wong said.

He also placed heavy emphasis on "foreign" threats emerging as a critical
factor with attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, with former
communist countries still providing plenty of headaches: "In Eastern
European regions there's a lot of skill level in terms of security
knowledge, intelligence and counter intelligence and those resources are
now being used for other activities. I don't know if they can be attributed
to [foreign governments], but we can attribute them to the state of the
economy, some political motivation and people who are finding themselves
out of a job because of military cutbacks," he said. He added that, so far,
there had been no " activity worth mentioning" emerging from the Middle
East or known terrorist organisations in the way of cyber attacks.

Government remains polite but cool

Australian Federal Government reaction to Symantec's foray into policy
making was politely cool. Mike Rothery, senior adviser for national
information infrastructure at the Attorney General's Department, told
Computerworld that while the American model of a "one-stop shop" for cyber
security worked well for them, the Australian taxpayer will be spared the
cost of yet another security directorate. "It doesn't come across as a very
attractive option for us, because there are very different ranges of
considerations. All they are doing, to a certain extent, is echoing what is
coming out of the US. The US outreach strategy for cyber security includes
the creation of single points of contact or cyber tsars. We know that and
that's actually part of the US strategy. We don't necessarily agree with
that," Rothery said.

"The US is coming up with a particular model to sell to economies that,
perhaps, haven't got an active public policy program in this space - and we
have. The American message is for those governments that are just starting
to wrangle with forming a public policy view on e-security. We are not
bothered by that message, but neither do we think that that message is
applicable to Australia," he continued.

Recommendations on Australia's national infrastructure initiatives are
currently being assessed by Federal Cabinet.

-- 
When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth 
-- George Bernard Shaw

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd@austarmetro.com.au