The Australian government is set to expand its National Cyber Security Exercise program to include the food and grocery, finance, and transportation sectors. This initiative aims to bolster the cyber resilience of these critical industries.
Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness, the newly appointed national cyber security coordinator, announced the upcoming inclusion of these sectors during a recent Senate hearing. She noted that this move follows successful cyber security exercises in the education and resource sectors.
This year, the aviation industry conducted its own cyber security exercise, as reported by McGuinness. The food and grocery sector, which experienced significant challenges during the early stages of the pandemic, will undergo close scrutiny in its inaugural security exercise, alongside the transportation sector.
The government’s proactive approach to cyber security was previously demonstrated through exercises in the aviation, financial services, and telecommunications sectors, as outlined by former cyber security minister Clare O’Neil.
Additionally, McGuinness shed light on the operations of the National Cyber Intel Partnership (NCIP), established as a result of the cyber security action plan from the previous year. The NCIP’s mandate includes facilitating bidirectional threat intelligence sharing and defensive measures between the private sector and the government.
During the hearing, Hamish Hansford, the deputy secretary of cyber and infrastructure security, emphasized the ongoing deployment of the critical infrastructure risk management program within the Department of Home Affairs. Entities governed by the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act (SoCI) are preparing to submit their inaugural risk management reports in the coming months.
Hansford also indicated a shift in the department’s approach to SoCI compliance, transitioning from an educational phase to conducting compliance audits, marking a significant step in the government’s cyber security strategy.