Future Secured Podcast EP1- Unpacking Australia's Cyber Security Strategy - Laying Cyber Foundations

In this premiere episode of the Future Secured Podcast, co-hosts Tom Finnigan and Jason Murrell, along with special guest Dan Maslin, discuss Australia's ambitious 2030 cyber security strategy.

The trio discusses the pivotal role of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and the critical importance of cybersecurity across various organisations. 

They explore essential strategy components, particularly focusing on the needs of small and medium-sized businesses, and highlight the necessity of innovation and collaborative efforts within the industry.

The conversation also examines the significant support required from the government, including incentives for startups and the vital practice of sharing cybersecurity experiences and lessons learned. 

Key themes such as the integration of AI in cybersecurity, the importance of cultural openness, the imperative of early cybersecurity education, and the broader roles of government and businesses in this strategy are discussed, offering a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions in securing Australia's digital future.

A summary of the discussion: 
- Australia has set an ambitious 2030 cyber security strategy to position itself as a global leader in the field.
- The role of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) varies depending on the organisation, but it generally involves leadership, strategy, and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation.
- The strategy should focus on supporting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and addressing their unique cybersecurity challenges.
- Incentives and support from the government are crucial for fostering innovation and growth in the cybersecurity startup ecosystem.
- Sharing experiences and lessons learned in cybersecurity can help organisations and the industry as a whole improve their security practices. AI is being used in cybersecurity to detect and analyse patterns and behaviors in emails, saving time and increasing detection rates.
- Cultural openness and sharing can help accelerate progress in cybersecurity by encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Early education on cybersecurity is crucial to instil good habits and behaviours from a young age.
- Implementing the cybersecurity strategy faces challenges such as enforceability and the need for governance and accountability.
- Both government and businesses have a role to play in addressing cybersecurity, with the government leading by example and businesses taking ownership and investing in cybersecurity measures.


"We need to become innovative and pick a lane to become an expert in as a country."
"Sharing war stories and lessons learned from cyber attacks can be powerful for improving cybersecurity."
"We need to leverage shareable content and social media platforms to raise awareness about cybersecurity."
"Looking at emails and actually detecting a lot more that previously would have taken manual activity from an analyst to sort of go through the history and look at behaviors within communication styles and those types of things, and really saving a lot of time and really increasing the detection rates."
"But it is actually being used in the background to reduce those manual activities."
"Do we maybe need to encourage this culture of openness and sharing to get everyone kind of moving forward a bit quicker?"