Australian Cyber News Summary #03 – March 2022
Commentary: Well a lot happened the the world last month with lots of cyber news on the Australian front. I have noticed very little (none) public reporting of Australian cyber incidents in the media. We all know they are happening but it seems to have gone underground, or I’m looking in the wrong places? Government and vendor stats are good but they just don’t have the impact on peoples mindset that public disclosures and reporting makes. Thoughts?
Small business tax breaks for cloud, cyber security growBy Justin Hendry on Mar 30, 2022. Small businesses will be able to deduct a further 20 percent from the cost of cloud services and cyber security systems, as the federal government … |
ASD to double in size after $10bn cyber security funding boostBy Justin Hendry on Mar 30, 2022. Australia’s cyber spy agency will receive almost $10 billion over the next decade as the federal government looks to boost the country’s offensive … |
All the tech in the 2022 federal budgetBy Justin Hendry on Mar 30, 2022. Government agencies have scored big in a budget otherwise focused on reducing cost of living pressures ahead of the federal election, with … |
Ageing infrastructure among key challenges faced by Australia’s electricity systems, says CSIROBy Staff Writer on Mar 29, 2022. Australia’s electricity systems face several key challenges, including ageing infrastructure, increasing complexity, and the need for investment in … |
Second critical infrastructure cyber security bill gets PJCIS green lightBy Justin Hendry on Mar 29, 2022. A parliamentary inquiry has recommended the remainder of the federal government’s critical infrastructure cyber security reforms pass with only minor… |
WA government commits $25.5m to bolster cybersecurityBy Brandon How on Mar 28, 2022. The Western Australian government has committed $25.5 million to expand its cyber security services by hiring more staff, with the funding used to … |
Should you still have to check-in? Experts weigh in on future of SafeWA systemBy Alicia Bridges on Mar 27, 2022. The bleep of the SafeWA check-in app has become a familiar sound in shops and entertainment venues across Western Australia since the system was … |
Australia to retaliate to cyber attacksMar 27, 2022 Australia will respond to any cyberattacks against its critical infrastructure “in kind”, Defence Minister Peter Dutton says. Mr Dutton says officials … |
ABC urged to drop ‘login to watch’ feature on streaming platform iviewMar 27, 2022. The ABC has pushed back against pleas to halt the rollout of a new ‘log in to watch’ feature on its iview platform. The login, mandatory in order to … |
Australia ranks number one in Asia Pacific for most ransomware attacksBy Staff Writer on Mar 27, 2022. Australia ranks number one in Asia Pacific for most ransomware attacks, and seventh globally according to new research which reveals that 37% of all … |
NSW ICAC asks for decryption and disruption powersBy Jeremy Nadel on Mar 27, 2022. NSW ICAC has called for the power to decrypt communications, take control of online accounts and alter and delete data. The public service watchdog’s … |
Service NSW begins offering digital rego certificatesBy Justin Hendry on Mar 27, 2022. NSW motorists can use a digital vehicle registration certificate and receive renewal reminders as push notifications through their Service NSW online … |
Home Affairs downplays gov data ‘gaps’ in critical infrastructure regimeBy Justin Hendry on Mar 27, 2022. The Department of Home Affairs has sought to downplay industry concerns over proposed laws that will limit the federal government’s critical … |
Russian hackers a threat to Australia: DuttonBy Lanai Scarr on Mar 22, 2022. Defence Minister Peter Dutton has warned of a new age of “grey warfare” in the form of cyber attacks against Governments and says one of the cyber … |
iTWire – Government opens new AFP-led centre to tackle online crimeBy Sam Varghese on Mar 22, 2022. The plan was agreed to by ministers in the states and territories last week. Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said in a statement on Monday that the … |
Defence told to reinstate employee who stored data on personal devicesBy Justin Hendry on Mar 22, 2022. A Department of Defence employee who was sacked for storing images from an internal network on his personal devices was unfairly dismissed, the Fair … |
Aged care workers still without Christmas penalties after cyberattackBy Cloe Read on Mar 20, 2022. Thousands of Queensland aged care workers are still waiting on Christmas penalties, and employer Blue Care has given no definitive date for when … |
Court orders re-vote in three NSW councils after iVote glitchBy Justin Hendry on Mar 18, 2022. Three NSW council ballots will need to be re-run after a technical glitch with the iVote online voting system prevented some users from casting votes … |
NSW confirms iVote system will be scrapped for next year’s state electionBy Campbell Kwan on Mar 17, 2022. The iVote system had already been shelved for reconfiguration after its failure during local elections last year. The NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) … |
iTWire – REA Group says cancelling sex-related domains that redirect trafficBy Sam Varghese on Mar 17, 2022. Founded in 1995, REA Group is a public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and majority-owned by News Corp Australia, a subsidiary of … |
Online safety committee tags algorithms, encryption as perilousBy Richard Chirgwin on Mar 17, 2022. The federal government’s online safety report was published yesterday, and in addition to calling for algorithmic transparency, it also takes aim at … |
NSW Labor leader calls for flood telecoms inquiryBy Natalie Apostolou on Mar 17, 2022. The leader of the NSW state opposition, Chris Minns, has called for an upper house inquiry into the emergency response in the days following the … |
NSW dumps iVote system until after 2023 state electionBy Justin Hendry on Mar 17, 2022. NSW’s troubled online voting system iVote will not be used at the 2023 state election, with the electoral commissioner blaming a lack of confidence … |
Australia’s electricity grid increasingly vulnerable to hackers via solar panels, smart devicesMar 16, 2022. The widespread adoption of rooftop solar panels and smart appliances is increasing the risks of cyber attacks on Australia’s electricity … |
iTWire – Telstra continues to restore services in Sydney and Queensland; impacts in Sydney and Hawkesbury slightly change restoration figuresBy Kenn Anthony Mendoza on Mar 12, 2022. Telstra reported that 90% of its mobile base stations are now back online and is delivering coverage to communities. Telstra says it has restored … |
iTWire – Optus recovers 92% of flood-affected sitesBy Stephen Withers on Mar 12, 2022 . Optus says it has brought back online 335 of its flood-affected sites in Queensland and New South Wales. The state of play at noon today was that four … |
CBA to add more behavioural biometricsBy Kate Weber on Mar 11, 2022. CBA is adding additional behavioural biometrics to its security features, including customer computer configuration and identifying individual … |
Australia’s anti-trolling Bill blasted by senators, online abuse victims and organisations alikeBy Campbell Kwan on Mar 10, 2022. From being too hard to access to being unclear, various people have testified that the anti-trolling Bill needs more work if it is to become … |
2022-02: Australian organisations should urgently adopt an enhanced cyber security posture | Cyber.gov.auMar 10, 2022. On 23 February 2022, the ACSC released an Alert “Australian organisations encouraged to urgently adopt an enhanced cyber security posture”. This … |
NSW Electoral Commission gets $4.8m to secure IT systemsBy Justin Hendry on Mar 10, 2022. The NSW Electoral Commission has secured $4.8 million to perform the most urgent cyber security upgrades to the state’s electoral systems, after its … |
Internet outage in Tasmania after two cables cutBy Sky News Australia on Mar 10, 2022. Telstra CEO Andy Penn says a team is working to resolve internet outages in Tasmania after there were cuts to two cables connecting to the state. He said one … |
NSW Treasury, Department of Customer Service to merge cyber security teamsBy Justin Hendry on Mar 10, 2022. NSW Treasury will merge its cyber security team with that of the Department of Customer Service (DCS), in a bid to ensure the central agency benefits … |
Hackers to face 25 years in jail for cyber attacks on Australia’s national infrastructure | IT PROBy Zach Marzouk on Mar 09, 2022. “Although a positive step in the fight against cybercriminals, this deterrent will by no means be the end of ransomware in Australia,” said Camellia … |
Busting cyber security myths with Troy HuntBy By Casey Tonkin Mar 09, 2022. Your passwords aren’t safe, the internet of things is ripe for abuse, and hackers don’t always wear hoodies – this is some of the wisdom shared by … |
The shadow IT problemBy By David Braue on Mar 09, 2022. The security risks of sharing files and documents over unsanctioned cloud services are well known, but a new survey has found many employees are … |
Tampering with ACT overseas e-voting system did not need key, researcher findsBy Campbell Kwan on Mar 08, 2022. Australia’s Electoral Commission thought the ACT’s e-voting system would be secure so long as its encryption key remained private, but a researcher … |
iTWire – Telstra restores majority of its mobile base stations and landline servicesBy Kenn Anthony Mendoza on Mar 08, 2022. Nearly 90% of mobile base stations affected by thunderstorms and floods are now back online and delivering coverage to their communities, Telstra … |
NSW digital photo card rollout stalls over confiscation issuesBy Justin Hendry on Mar 08, 2022. Issues around how authorities will confiscate digital photo cards are holding up the statewide rollout of the plastic card alternative in NSW, with … |
Australia’s banks wanted more control over consumer devicesBy Richard Chirgwin on Mar 08, 2022. Australia’s banks unsuccessfully urged corporate regulator ASIC to consider letting them impose security and device rules on customers that used … |
iTWire – Telstra working to restore connection in New South Wales and Queensland but hampered due to inaccessibility and network damageBy Kenn Anthony Mendoza on Mar 08, 2022. Telstra said around 80% of its mobile stations were affected and now back online and delivering coverage to communities and has restored nearly 75% … |
ASIC moves to shut some recourse avenues for scam victimsBy Ry Crozier on Mar 08, 2022. Australia’s financial regulator is backing a tightening of the voluntary code of practice regulating electronic payments that would limit its … |
Are big ag tech companies harvesting farmers’ data?By Annie Guest on Mar 04, 2022. What industry would not want to boost production value by up to 25 per cent? Key points: Some farmers worry their personal and commercial data is being … |
Corporate cop warns of cyber risk amid warMar 04, 2022. Australia’s corporate cop has warned companies to heed cyber security warnings amid heightened global tensions. The Australian Cyber Security Centre … |
How Tasmanians coped with the network outage following Telstra cable damage | ABC NewsBy ABC News (Australia) on Mar 03, 2022. This week, Tasmania got turned off and back on again — with islanders plunged into a communications blackout which had wide-ranging effects. Civil works in a… |
AISA leads NSW Cyber Hub business programMar 03, 2022. AISA is pleased to announce it has been formally engaged by the NSW Government to help grow the cyber security business ecosystem in the state via … |
Incident: Sky News employees caught in cyber breach | SHMMar 02, 2022. Australian Media Ransomware Attack, 27 February 2022 Sky News employees caught in cyber breach Info accessed included full names, dwelling and e mail … |
Calls for NSW gov to abandon iVote systemBy Justin Hendry on Mar 01, 2022. The NSW Greens are calling for the state government to replace its iVote online voting system following a series of historical flaws and technical … |
Australian Cyber News Summary #02 – February 2022By Steven Kirby on Mar 01, 2022. Australian Cyber News Summary February 2020: NZ Post, Defence, NBN, Privacy, Incident, Ransomware, Telco, NSW, Police, News Corp, Scam, Audit. … |
