Threat of major cyber attack on critical infrastructure real, national security boss warns

Summary

This article about Home Affairs Department secretary Mike Pezzullo who recently claimed that Australia is vulnerable to a cyberattack on its infrastructure. The ABC notes the following points:

• The threat posed by criminal gangs and hackers who work for other countries is very real and 'deeply concerning'.
• Pezzullo stresses that the possibility of a significant attack is one of his most pressing concerns.
• The federal government wants to put into place new legislation to ensure that our national infrastructure is better protected from future cyberattacks.
• The new laws would force operators to improve the way that they protect infrastructure from cyberattacks.
• The new laws would impose greater cybersecurity obligations on operators responsible for the infrastructure.
• Recent cyberattacks have targetted,  Federal parliament and Western Australia's parliament
• Prime minister Scott Morrison wants all organisations to protect themselves.

References

• Apr 2021 9News 'Up by 150 per cent': Experts warn Australian Cyberattacks to grow exponentiallyv
• May 2021 ABC China suspected of cyber attack on Western Australia's Parliament during state election
• May 2021 Financial Review Universities offer rich pickings for cyber criminals