Forefront Cyber Community

PLEASE MEET OUR ADVISORY BOARD - We are thrilled to introduce our Cyber Advisory Board, comprising of some of the most senior cyber security leaders from diverse organisations across Australia & New Zealand. Here at Forefront, research is at the heart of everything we do. We pride ourselves on our dedication to delivering cutting-edge content that speaks directly to the challenges cyber leaders face today. To uphold this commitment, our Advisory Board will collaborate closely with our content team, leveraging their expertise to identify and address the most pressing issues in their field, ensuring our events deliver top-tier quality content. Welcome on board: Jason Chatfield, Head of Information & Cyber Security, RSL QLD Daisy Wong, Security Culture & Awareness Lead, Flybuys  Peter T, Executive Manager, Security Operations, nbn® Australia  Jessica Gomes, Head of Cyber Security, Grant Thornton Saleshni S., Director, Regional Information Security Officer, APAC, Berkley Insurance Australia (a Berkley Company) Jack Cross, Chief Information Security Officer, QUT (Queensland University of Technology) #cyberadvisoryboard #ForefrontCyberCommunity #cyberleaders

📰 The Australian Parliament passed a suite of legislative reforms on November 25, 2024, designed to strengthen Australia’s national cyber defences and cyber resilience. The Comprehensive Cyber Security Legislation comprises: - The Cyber Security Act 2024 (Cyber Security Act); - The Intelligence Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Cyber Security) Act 2024; and - The Security of Critical Infrastructure and Other Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Response and Prevention) Act 2024 (SOCI Amendment Act). “This package forms a cohesive legislative toolbox for Australia to move forward with clarity and confidence in the face of an ever-changing cyber landscape,” said Minister for Cyber Security Tony Burke. The Cyber Security legislative package addresses legislative gaps and brings Australia in line with international best practice with world first measures to ensure Australia is on track to become a global leader in cyber security. The government has passed laws to enact seven initiatives under the Cyber Security Strategy. These new laws: - Enable the Minister for Cyber Security to prescribe mandatory cyber security standards for smart devices to give Australians assurance the devices they purchase aren’t putting them at risk; - Require certain businesses to report ransom payments, so our cyber experts can build a better picture of the threat landscape; - Give effect to a ‘limited use’ obligation for the National Cyber Security Coordinator and the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) to facilitate rapid and open sharing of information during a cyber security incident; and - Establish a Cyber Incident Review Board (CIRB) to conduct no-fault, post-incident reviews of significant cyber security incidents in Australia and make concrete recommendations to aid in the prevention, detection, response, and minimisation of cyber incidents in the future. 🗞️ Read more on this below. #cybernews #cyberlawsaustralia #cybersecuritybill #cyberlegislation #ForefrontCyberCommunity

The Cyber Resilience Summit has come to a successful close for 2024. This series travelled to Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Brisbane, Singapore and last week we wrapped things up with our community in WA! Cybersecurity leaders are crucial in organisations as they safeguard sensitive data, ensure business continuity, and protect against evolving cyber threats, ultimately maintaining trust and operational integrity. It's been inspiring to witness cyber leaders across the APAC region come together, sharing insights and strategies to tackle common challenges, strengthening collective resilience against evolving cyber threats - looking forward to continuing this in 2025! Massive thank you to our WA speakers: Jake Braun, Senior Counselor for Transformation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Formerly The White House Helen McLeish, Chief Cyber Security Officer, East Metropolitan Health Service David Buitendag, Chief Information Security Officer, P&N Bank Peter Gigengack, Director Cyber Security, Department of the Premier and Cabinet of WA Marie K., Head of Cyber Influence & Education, Ramsay Health Care Matt B., Field CTO & SE, Abnormal Security Raymond Schippers, Security Engineering Director of Detection & Response, Canva Jason Fraser, Head of Cyber Security, Capricorn  Tim Downing, Director - Information Security, Clean Energy Finance Miriam Sanchez-Blanco, Chief Technology Officer, City of Stirling James Miles, Chief Information Officer, Cash Converters Deepti Heera, Chief Information Officer, Town of Cambridge Sameera Bandara, Cybersecurity General Manager - APAC, Programmed Andrew Woodward, Director, Centre for Securing Digital Futures, Edith Cowan University Dan Benporath, Global Chief Information Security Officer, APM Serena King, Assistant Director, National Office of Cyber Security Thanks to our event partners: Abnormal Security, Thales, Arctic Wolf, ASI Solutions, Zscaler, Ping Identity, Netskope, Okta, Baidam Pty Ltd, Cribl, Trend Micro, Imprivata #CyberSummit24 #ForefrontCyberCommunity #CyberConference #CyberEvent #cybersecurityapac #cyberconferenceperth #cybersummit25

📰 Proposed legislation compelling businesses to disclose their ransomware payments to the government has been recommended for “urgent” parliamentary approval. Introduced last month by cyber security minister Tony Burke, the Cyber Security Bill 2024 aims to enforce mandatory reporting of ransomware payments to “build the government’s understanding of the ransomware threat”. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) recommended the bill be urgently passed by parliament. However, the committee caveated that the proposed ransomware reporting obligations apply only to the “extent that a ransomware incident relates to the reporting business entity’s operations in Australia”. It also stated that provisions designed to limit the circumstances in which the National Cyber Security Coordinator can use or share the information provided should be “more clearly expressed”. This measure is designed to encourage businesses to report ransomware incidents voluntarily. 🗞 Read more on this below. #cybernews #cybersecurity #cybersecurityaustralia #ForefrontCyberCommunity

📰 Australia continues to grapple with a rising tide of cybercrime, as cyber criminals increase the frequency of their attacks on the nation. Peter Maloney, CEO of AUCyber, highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that the country faces a 23% year-on-year increase in cyber-attacks, translating to one attack reported every six minutes. Maloney stresses the urgent need for robust measures to protect the nation's security and economic stability. In response to the growing threat, the Australian government is contemplating the introduction of the Cyber Security Act. Maloney remarked that this proposed legislation aims to empower the government to effectively address emerging cyber threats. Key components of the proposed legislation include establishing minimum security standards for smart devices, mandatory ransomware reporting, and fostering information sharing with limited use obligations. The legislation also suggests the formation of a Cyber Incident Review Board to strengthen consumer protection and enhance Australia's cyber resilience. Collaboration across various sectors is recognised as crucial to building a resilient cyber environment. According to Maloney, businesses, governmental entities, and consumers must engage in transparent information sharing to support national cyber security efforts. 🗞 Read more on this below. #cybernews #cyberaustralia #cyberattacks #forefrontcybercommunity

🗣 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗧 𝗖𝗬𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗧 𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗦 - 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟭𝟮𝗧𝗛. ⬇ We're excited to follow up on the success of our Sydney event by bringing together senior Cyber and Operational Technology leaders for a strategic discussion on the convergence of IT and OT, and the unique challenges of securing OT environments from cyber threats. 🎟 Grab your ticket and check out the agenda HERE: https://lnkd.in/gNf9Hd_v (availability is limited) Take a look at who's speaking: Lisa O’Donohue, Principal Security Engineer, Telstra Trevor Goldman, Technical Director OT Cyber Security, Worley Fletcher Carr, Chief Operational Technology & Process Computing Engineer, Bluescope Steel Aidan Hollier, Senior Manager Asset Knowledge & Technology, Melbourne Water Muzamil Rashid, Head of Cyber Security, Mazda Eldin Dickinson, OT Cybersecurity Lead, Energy Australia Dave W., General Manager Digital Security & Risk, Jemena Peter T, Executive Manager Security Operations, nbn Ken Ong, Director Risk - Operational Resilience & Crisis Management, Bupa Alana Maurushat, Professor of Cybersecurity & Behaviour, Western Sydney University Thank you to our event partners: Orro Group, Fortinet, ASI Solutions, CGI, Vectra AI/IBM, Secolve, Armis, Darktrace, Yokogawa #OTcyberSummit24 #otcyber #ForefrontCyberCommunity #otcyberresilience #otcyber

📰 Australian cyber security workers are more stressed than their international peers, with an increasingly complex threat landscape and continual under-resourcing impacting their mental and physical health, a new report has found. The State of Cybersecurity 2024 report, produced by international tech professional association ISACA, reveals stress is growing for cyber workers around the world, and that most don’t feel ready to combat the growing risk of a cyber-attack on their organisation. Based on a survey of 1,868 cyber security professionals from 102 countries, including Australia, the report revealed Australian cyber security workers are feeling more stressed in their jobs than their counterparts around the world, with 66 per cent of respondents saying that this stress is “much higher” than five years earlier. 🗞 Read more below. #cyberaustralia #cyber #cyberapac #cyberleaders #forefrontcybercommunity

The Cyber Resilience Summit NSW 2024 has officially come to a close! This year’s event brought together cybersecurity leaders and professionals from across the region. Carefully crafted to tackle the most pressing cybersecurity challenges, the summit featured expert-led panels, interactive sessions, and invaluable insights from industry leaders. Looking forward to the next two summits in Melbourne and Perth before we finish this series for the year. See you back in Sydney in 2025. Thank you to our speakers: Karissa A. Breen (KB) Breen, Cyber Security Journalist & Thought Leader Chelsea Capizzi-Walsh, Executive Manager, Crisis Management- Group Security | Technology, CBA Mark Smink, Director of Information Security, Brookfield Tracey Edwards, General Manager, GRC & Advisory Services, NBN Nigel Hedges, General Manager, IT Security, Risk and Compliance (CISO), Chemist Warehouse Craig Stockdale, Managing Director Channels ANZ, Wasabi Technologies Antonio Rancan, Security Specialist, Abnormal Security  Alexander Moskvin, Chief Information Security Officer, Steadfast Group Saleshni S., Director Regional Information Security Officer, APAC, Berkley Insurance Dario Naawam SOMDA, Executive Director Cyber Security, Accor Igor A., Global Head of Security Architecture, Toll Group Michael Nancarrow, Cyber Assurance Manager, Transgrid Moderator: Juancho Jerusalem, Head of Sales APAC, Zerto  Scott Belgrove, Group Head Infrastructure, Security & Operations, IRT Andy Duong, Cyber Security & Compliance Manager, Woolworths Leana El-Hourani, Head of Information Security & GRC, Mission Australia Shaun Price, Senior Manager Cyber Strategy & Planning, Transurban Steve Bray, Vice President ANZ, Cloudflare Nicole Quinn, Head of Government Affairs, Fortinet Mark "Squiz" Squirrell OAM, Medal of the Order Recipient, Former International Aid Worker and Australian Commando Thank you to our event partners: Abnormal Security, Thales, Canon Inc. Arctic Wolf, Versa Networks, Fortinet, MyCISO, Cato Networks, ASI Solutions, Zscaler, Vectra AI, NinjaOne, SentinelOne, Protecht, Zerto, Wasabi Technologies, Cloudflare, Netskope, Waterstons, Okta, Baidam Pty Ltd, Rubrik, Cythera #cyberresilience #cybersecurity #ForefrontCyberCommunity #cybersummitAPAC #cyberconferenceAPAC #CyberSummit24 #cybereventapac

🗣 Calling all cyber leaders in WA 🗣 The Cyber Resilience Summit is returning to Perth on November 14th. A space for Western Australian IT & Cyber leaders to join together as a community to discuss new ideas and strategies to adapt to stay ahead in an increasingly volatile industry. 🎟 Grab your ticket and check out the full agenda HERE: https://lnkd.in/giK-bVbN Take a look at the speakers: Jake Braun, Senior Counselor for Transformation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Formerly The White House Helen McLeish, Chief Cyber Security Officer, East Metropolitan Health Service David Buitendag, Chief Information Security Officer, P&N Bank Peter Gigengack, Director Cyber Security, Department of the Premier and Cabinet of WA Erin Marley, Executive Advisor / Chief of Staff to Chief Security Officer, Commonwealth Bank Raymond Schippers, Security Engineering Director of Detection & Response, Canva Jason Fraser, Head of Cyber Security, Capricorn  James Miles, Chief Information Officer, Cash Converters Deepti Heera, Chief Information Officer, Town of Cambridge Sameera Bandara, Cybersecurity General Manager - APAC, Programmed Andrew Woodward, Director, Centre for Securing Digital Futures, Edith Cowan University Thanks to our event partners: Abnormal Security, Thales, Arctic Wolf, ASI Solutions, Zscaler, Ping Identity, Netskope, Okta, Baidam Pty Ltd, Cribl, Trend Micro #CyberSummit24 #ForefrontCyberCommunity #CyberConference #CyberEvent #cybersecurityapac

📰 Australian companies are incurring annual losses of up to US$2 billion due to vulnerabilities in application programming interfaces (APIs) and bot-driven cyberattacks, according to a report from cybersecurity firm Imperva, a Thales company. The report, titled “Economic Impact of API and Bot Attacks,” attributed one in four cybersecurity incidents in Australia to these growing threats. The study, conducted by Marsh McLennan’s Cyber Risk Intelligence Center, analysed over 161,000 cybersecurity incidents worldwide. The study found that the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which includes Australia, accounted for 17.7% of all API and bot-related security breaches in 2023, resulting in more than US$16.6 billion in business losses. Australia is facing significant risks as API use continues to rise across sectors. 🗞 Read more below. #cybernews #ForefrontCyberCommunity #cybersecurityaustralia