HomeGovernanceAustralia launches Joint Cyber Security Centre in Sydney

The government of Australia has launched Joint Cyber Security Centre (JCSC) facility in Sydney which aims to promote cybersecurity systems across government, business, and academia. The facility is a part of the government’s $47 million JCSC program that bridges the gap between several public and private sectors. These include defence, finance, transport, energy, health, mining, and education.

At present, there are JCSC facilities located in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney. By late 2018, a center at Adelaide will also join the list. “This is an important step to enhance Australia’s defensive cyber capabilities. The JCSC is a critical hub for business and government to improve their cybersecurity practices and share information in a trusted environment,” said Angus Taylor, minister for Law Enforcement and Cyber Security. “We have already run a number of cybersecurity exercises across these centers, particularly in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games.”

Led by the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Australia, the JCSC facilities will strengthen the cybersecurity infrastructure of the country and will also be involved in sharing sensitive information, including actionable cyber threat intelligence among myriad bodies in both public and private space, thus flowing amid all domains without any commercial bias.

“Cybersecurity threats are always evolving, so we need to ensure we have a range of strategies in place to protect our digital borders and get on the offensive against cyber attacks,” Taylor said.

The facilities are also tasked with understanding the threat landscape and providing cybersecurity tools and solutions to organizations and are an extension of the Government’s 2016 Cyber Security Strategy. “Australians are targets for malicious actors, including serious and organised criminal syndicates and foreign adversaries, who are all using cyberspace to further their aims and attack our interest,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had said while he introduced the Strategy. “We must safeguard against criminality, espionage, sabotage, and unfair competition online.”