Coalition Government working to combat cybercrime

The Coalition Government is committed to combating the increasingly pervasive and sophisticated threat of cybercrime in all its forms, regardless of its target.

Today, I addressed the International Conference on Cybercrime and Computer Forensics in Queensland to highlight the Government’s leading multi-faceted approach to ensure the safety and security of all Australians online.

Australia is one of the most connected countries in the world. The internet forms part of our daily routine to pay bills, read the newspaper, share photos on social media, shop online, and stay in contact with friends and family.

But despite its many benefits, it also poses many safety and security risks.

We know that criminals will seek to exploit any weakness to gain access to victims and extort funds, and in the 21st century, cyberspace has become their new frontier.

Poor cyber security erodes trust and confidence in the online world, and can cause significant financial losses – conservatively estimated to cost Australians over $1 billion each year, and $17 billion in economic imposts.

Ransomware, including the recent WanaCry and Petya incidents, are an increasingly global cyber threat to all organisations that do not have appropriate defences.

Between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2017, the Australian Signals Directorate, as part of the Australian Cyber Security Centre, responded to 1,766 cyber security incidents on government systems which were considered serious enough to warrant operational responses.

Last year CERT handled 11,260 cyber security incidents, including 439 incidents involving systems of national interest and critical infrastructure, the majority of which is operated by the private sector.

We have also seen an increase from 2015-16 to 2016-17 on a range of referrals to the Australian Federal Police to Cybercrime Operations. Intrusions have increased from 10 referrals in 2015-16 to 15 referrals in 2016-17, and extortion attempts have increased from 1 referral in 2015-16 to 14 referrals in 2016-17.

These threats are serious and they are evolving so we can’t act alone. It is up to all of us – government, industry and law enforcement − to stamp out safe havens for cybercriminals.

This Coalition Government has put real money —$230 million —behind a National Cyber Security Strategy, and the Defence White Paper contains up to $400 million to enhance the cyber capabilities of our defence forces.

Significant investments have also been made in our agencies, recognising that cyber security and law enforcement measures are at the forefront of our response. We have invested:

  *   $20.4 million in extra funding for the Australian Federal Police to strengthen its cyber defences;

  *   $16 million in extra funding to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to expand its cybercrime intelligence capability. This has allowed the ACIC to discover the true identities of more cybercriminals than ever before, which are actively being referred to law enforcement for investigation;

  *   Announced Australia’s single most significant change to our fight against cybercrime − directing the Australian Signals Directorate to extend the use its offensive cyber capabilities to disrupt, degrade, deny and deter organised offshore cyber criminals;

  *   Launched the Critical Infrastructure Centre to work collaboratively across all levels of government to manage the risks of sabotage, espionage and coercion in our critical infrastructure;

  *   Established AUSTRAC’s Fintel Alliance – a world-first collaboration between government and industry - to monitor and track the proceeds of cybercrime. This has put Australia at the forefront of the fight against terrorism financing and money laundering by identifying, targeting and deterring these criminals;

  *   Expanded the role of the Office of the eSafety Commissioner to empower all Australians to explore the online world safely; and

  *   Made significant strides to combat the online sexual predation of children, including passing legislation to enact ‘Carly’s Law’ to target online predators preparing or planning to cause harm to, procure or engage in sexual activity with a child.

The Coalition Government will continue to collaborate with industry, business, academia, and the community to prepare for and respond to cyber threats.

By combining our expertise, information and tools, we can create a hostile environment for cybercriminals.

The International Conference on Cybercrime and Computer Forensics was hosted by the Australian Institute of Criminology and the Asia Pacific Association of Technology and Society.