[LINK] Australian Government Cyber Security Strategy

[Tom Worthington]

The Federal Attorney-General, Robert McClelland has released an 
Australian Government Cyber Security Strategy: 
<http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2009_FourthQuarter_23November2009-AustralianCyberSecurityStrategyLaunched%27>.

This is a high risk strategy as it proposes transferring the functions 
of the successful and experienced non-government AusCert to an 
inexperienced government body. A better strategy would be to resource 
AusCert so it can provide services to non-government bodies and work 
with DSD to look after government and military computer security.

The Australian Government Cyber Security Strategy has three objectives:

    1. Make Australians aware of cyber risks,
    2. Make businesses operate secure and resilient information and 
communications technologies,
    3. Secure Australian Government information and make communications 
technologies resilient.

The seven Strategic priorities are:

    1. Improve the detection, analysis, mitigation and response to 
sophisticated cyber threats,
    2. Provide Australians with information and tools to protect 
themselves online,
    3. Partner with business to promote security and resilience,
    4. Protection of government ICT systems,
    5. Promote a secure, resilient and trusted global electronic 
operating environment,
    6. Maintain an effective legal framework and enforcement against 
cyber crime,
    7. Promote research and development of cyber security a skills.

By early 2010 the Australian Government expects to have:

    1. CERT Australia: with Attorney-General’s Department taking over 
AusCert's responsibilities. This will incorporate the Australian 
Government Computer Emergency Readiness Team,
    2. Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC): The Defence Signals 
Directorate (DSD) will continue to provide civilian and military 
government agencies with cyber security assistance.

More at: 
<http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2009/11/australian-government-cyber-security.html>.


-- 
Tom Worthington FACS HLM, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
Adjunct Lecturer, The Australian National University t: 02 61255694
Computer Science http://cs.anu.edu.au/people.php?StaffID=140274