CISC Newsflash: Edition 12

From the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre

Welcome to the 12th edition of the CISC Newsflash. The last few months have been a particularly productive time for the security and resilience of Australia’s critical infrastructure.

Over September, we put the call out to expand the Trusted Information Sharing Network’s (TISN) Resilience Expert Advisory Forum (REAG) . Thank you to all the passionate and highly qualified people who put in an application!

In October, we spoke up in partnership with counterparts around the world to mark Cyber Security Awareness Month. With the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s latest Annual Cyber Threat Report revealing that a cybercrime is reported every six minutes, there’s never been a more important time to take steps that ensure the cyber security of critical infrastructure.

And over November, we marked Australia’s inaugural Critical Infrastructure Security Month – a national month of focus and action expressly dedicated to the security and resilience of critical infrastructure.

We were pleased to see so many owners and operators involved in one or more of these many activities, but if you’ve missed any of them… read on to hear all about them!

REAG expansion

The TISN’s REAG promotes organisational resilience in support of Australian critical infrastructure owners and operators. They do this by providing strategic advice, guidance and tools to mature security and resilience approaches.

Upon reviewing the skills of current members, REAG invited applications for two new positions that would expand the group, assist with cyber and data hazards, and bring experience in a senior security or resilience role for a Government agency.

We had 34 fantastic applications – ‘thank you’ to everyone who applied!

Following this competitive and transparent process, REAG chairs invited Nikki Peever and Damien Manuel to join the group – welcome!

The newly expanded REAG has big plans for 2024, so stay tuned to hear all about them early next year.

You can read more about the process used to expand the REAG on our website.

It’s summer time – and the listening is easy!

Hot on the heels of our first podcast series – the Trusted Insider, available now on all good podcasting platforms – we’ve been busy supporting owners and operators with a second series – ‘Critical Conversations’ .

‘Critical conversations’ discusses all things cyber and infrastructure security, and features a range of expert guests. In season one, we spoke to the Australian Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology, Mr Brendan Dowling, Dr Marcus Doherty from the College of Science at the Australian National University, the Ambassador for Ukraine, His Excellency Mr Vasyl Myroshnychenko, and Ms Louise Petschler, General Manager Education and Policy at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

If you’ve missed an episode in either of our podcast series, long drives, flights, and time by the pool this festive season are the best time to catch up! Subscribe today on Spotify , Podbean , Google , Amazon , or Apple .

Critical Infrastructure Security Month

Australia’s inaugural Critical Infrastructure Security Month (CISM) is almost over, but there’s still time to get involved! Review one of our Fireside Chats , take the CISM Quiz , read our ‘Ask an Expert’ blog series and take action using the official toolkit .

As part of our ongoing mission to support owners and operators understand the risk environment, CISM 2023 kicked off with the release of the Australian Government’s first Critical Infrastructure Annual Risk Review (CIARR). The CIARR outlines the risks posed to Australia’s critical infrastructure over the last 12 months and is well worth a read!

We want to ensure we’re continuing to bring critical infrastructure security and resilience to the forefront of all Australians minds, and have big plans for CISM 2024.

Thank you to everyone who made CISM 2023 such a standout success!

Systems of National Significance event

During CISM we hosted the first in person meeting with the owners and operators of Australia’s most sensitive and important critical infrastructure assets – Systems of National Significance (SONS). The event was a great opportunity for key Government and industry partners to share information and network across sectors, with a dedicated focus on uplifting cyber security and resilience.

By virtue of their importance to the nation, SoNS have an important role in setting the standard for best practice cyber preparedness. We look forward to continuing to build out a program of SoNS engagements into 2024, including through the dedicated SoNS TISN.

Screening accreditation deadline fast approaching

Attention all aviation screening authorities! There’s only one month left to ensure all your screening officers are accredited.

By 31 December 2023, all aviation screening officers must be accredited in the screening functions they perform. We encourage you to take immediate action if you have not yet completed accreditation testing for all of your screening officers.

Need more information? Head to: www.cisc.gov.au/stakeholders/transportsecurity/screener-accreditation-scheme .

Release of the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy

On Wednesday 22 November, the Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, the Hon Clare O’Neil MP, released the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy .

Under the Strategy, which was accompanied by an Action Plan, six cyber shields will ensure a future where stronger cyber defences enable citizens and businesses to prosper, and to bounce back quickly following a cyber-attack.

Each shield provides an additional layer of defence against cyber threats and places Australian citizens and businesses at its core.

Shield four discusses protected critical infrastructure and notes that owners and operators need to have clear visibility of the risks they face – including cyber threats.