No product testing at Gillard's cyber security centre

The Australian Government will not use its new cyber security centre to test the integrity of security products, CRN can reveal.

The strategy, announced yesterday, aims to create better collaboration between state and private sectors in the area of cyber security.

A ‘coordination’ hub will open by the end of the year and will be staffed by members of the Department of Defence, the Attorney-General's Department, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Crime Commission.

Chinese networking vendor Huawei applauded the move yesterday, in the hope it might help alleviate concerns over the security risks posed by use of its products in core networks.

In October 2012, Huawei chairman John Lord called for the formation of a national security evaluation centre to test the security credentials of networking and equipment products, prior to deployment.

In mid-2012, the Australian Government banned Huawei from tendering for NBN projects, due to security fears arising from the company’s alleged links to the Chinese government. Lord hoped that if the Government could independently test Huawei's devices, it might lift the ban.

The Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet today informed CRN that the Australian Government would not vet equipment manufacturer’s products as part of its cyber security strategy, and declined to comment on its relationship with Huawei.

The Government has an existing Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) within the Department of Defence, which aims to assist businesses under attack. It is staffed by the Defence Signals Directorate, the AFP's technical crime wing, ASIO and the Computer Emergency Response Team Australia.

The Government could not clarify today what issues would be dealt with at the CSOC versus the new coordination centre.