Australian Cyber Network launches to boost collaboration against cybercrime

The new not-for-profit organisation, the Australian Cyber Network (ACN), has officially launched, aiming to tackle the growing cybersecurity challenges facing the nation.

Formerly known as AustCyber, the ACN builds on the success of its predecessor which the organisation said helped facilitate over 300 companies being established and grow the cyber workforce to over 120,000 professionals.

The establishment of ACN comes as Australia grapples with an alarming rate of cybercrime incidents, with over 94,000 reported in the last financial year.

Co-founder and chair of ACN, Jason Murrell said the transition from AustCyber to ACN is about more than just a name change.

Murrell envisions the ACN acting as a bridge between Australian industry and global cyber security initiatives, to ensure that the country plays a leading role in shaping international cyber standards and solutions.

"We're not just shaping policy, we're helping shape careers and the future of the cyber security workforce in Australia," Murrell said.

This equates to one incident every six minutes with the Australian Signals Directorate government agency contacting business 620 times in the last financial year, emphasising the urgent need for improved cybersecurity measures.

Dr Andrew Charlton MP likened cybercrime to "the most significant shift in criminal activity since the handgun," emphasising the critical need for digital defences.

The ACN aims to mature the industry, shape policy, and support small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in defending against cyber threats.

Linda Cavanagh, co-founder and chief executive of ACN, stressed the importance of having "a voice for industry, by industry" to drive the future of cybersecurity in Australia.

The organisation's mission revolves around four strategic pillars: maturity, advocacy, outreach, and insight.

A key focus for ACN is supporting small to medium-sized businesses, which make up over 90 per cent of Australia's economy and are particularly vulnerable to cyber threats.

Four strategic pillars support ACN's mission:

1. Maturity: fostering the sustainable growth of Australia's cyber security capabilities.
2. Advocacy: providing an independent voice to influence cyber security policy.
3. Outreach: engaging with vulnerable sectors and SMBs to improve their cyber resilience.
4. Insight: driving evidence based research to shape policy and workforce development.

To ensure transparency, ACN will release an annual "State of the Industry" report, providing a comprehensive picture of the industry's growth and evaluating the progress of the Australian Cyber Security Strategy.

The launch event took place at Parliament House in Canberra.

It gathered key figures from government, industry, and academia, including Dr Andrew Charlton MP and Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness CSC, National Cyber Security Coordinator.

Lieutenant General McGuinness pointed to the importance of sovereign capability in building a resilient nation, less vulnerable to "unexpected global surprises".