Session 3.3c Update: Cyber Safeguards for Australia's Defence Industry: Time for Action
Tracks
| Thursday, November 14, 2024 |
| 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Menzies Theatre |
Details
In the modern digital era, where interconnectedness and technology permeate every facet of our lives, the defence industry stands as a prime target for malicious cyber threats. The significance of robust cyber security within this critical sector cannot be overstated.
As the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) identified in its Cyber Threat Report 2022–23:
“Globally, government and critical infrastructure networks were targeted by state cyber actors as part of ongoing information-gathering campaigns or disruption activities. The AUKUS partnership, with its focus on nuclear submarines and other advanced military capabilities, is likely a target for state actors looking to steal intellectual property for their own military programs. Cyber operations are increasingly the preferred vector for state actors to conduct espionage and foreign interference.”
Australia’s Defence Industry forms the backbone of a nation's security, encompassing a complex network of government agencies, private contractors, manufacturers, and research institutions. Its operations involve the development of cutting-edge weaponry, advanced communication systems, and strategic intelligence. Any breach or compromise within this domain could have catastrophic consequences, endangering national security, compromising military readiness, and potentially causing economic turmoil.
Cyber security is paramount in safeguarding sensitive defence information, trade secrets, proprietary technologies, and classified data. Sophisticated adversaries, ranging from state-sponsored actors to cybercriminal organisations, relentlessly seek to exploit vulnerabilities within the defence industrial base. They aim to steal intellectual property, disrupt critical infrastructure, and undermine operational effectiveness.
Australia has implemented measures aimed at enhancing the security of its Defence Industry. Yet, in light of the emergence of the AUKUS pact and the dynamic changes in the geopolitical landscape: Do our current endeavours hold up under scrutiny? Should they prove inadequate, the need to identify opportunities for improvement becomes paramount.
This presentation will explore the necessity of a Defence Industry Cyber Protection Program, to sit alongside or within the Defence Industry Security Program, by critically examining the cyber threat landscape affecting the defence industry as well as current cyber security regulations and frameworks applicable to our defence sector. Drawing inspiration from international best practice, it will make a series of recommendations with the intention of strengthening our cybersecurity preparedness and ultimately bolstering our national defence.
Speaker
Ms Sarah Sloan
Head Of Government Affairs And Public Policy, Anz And Indonesia
Palo Alto Networks
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Biography
Sarah Sloan is the Head of Government Affairs & Public Policy for Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia at Palo Alto Networks. In her position, she advises the company’s leadership on a range of cyber and technology policy issues, builds strategic relationships across all tiers of Government and acts as a trusted private sector adviser to Government.
Sarah spent 10+ years working in Government, predominantly in cybercrime and cybersecurity. Sarah commenced her cyber career at the Attorney General's Department, where she managed the newly formed Cyber Crime Unit’s collaboration with law enforcement; she oversaw relevant offenses in the criminal code to ensure their currency and engaged with other nations on the Budapest Convention, the leading international instrument on cybercrime. In this capacity, Sarah was privileged to represent the Australian Government at various domestic and international forums, most notably at the Council of Europe summit on the Budapest Convention in Strasbourg, France. Following her work with the Attorney General's Department, she served as an advisor to the Prime Minister's Special Adviser on Cyber Security, and subsequently was appointed as the Cyber Adviser to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Cyber Security.
