Australia is renewing its push for new rules governing how nations deal with each other in cyberspace.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has launched the government’s three-year International Cyber Engagement Strategy.
In this video, Beverley O’Connor of ABC’s “The World” program speaks to Fergus Hanson, head of the International Cyber Policy Centre at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
The proliferation of cyberspace and rise of social media have enriched and strengthened the application of democratic governance.
Technological developments have expedited the international flow of information, improved freedom of speech in many areas of the world, and increased the quality of interaction, accountability and service delivery from democratic governments to their citizens. But these benefits must be balanced against a longstanding vulnerability of democracy to manipulation that cyberspace has enhanced in both scope and scale.
The 2016 US presidential election demonstrated the increasingly complex cyber and information environment in which democracies are operating. Using US case study illustrations, this report offers a conceptual framework by which to understand how cybersecurity and information security techniques can be used to compromise a modern-day election.
The report places this case study in its historical context and outlines emerging approaches to this new normal of election interference before identifying associated policy considerations for democracies.
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The 2016 Cyber Maturity report is the culmination of 12 months’ research by the ASPI International Cyber Policy Centre. The report assesses the approach of 23 regional countries to the challenges and opportunities that cyberspace presents, in terms of their governance structure, legislation, law enforcement, military, business and social engagement with cyber policy and security issues.
The 2016 report includes an assessment of three new countries, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Solomon Islands. It also features, for the first time, separate data points on fixed line and mobile connectivity to better reflect the growth of mobile-based internet access across the region, its role in facilitating increased connectivity and opening new digital markets.
Turning to the country rankings, coming in at top of the table for the third year running is the United States. In 2016 the United States continued to further refine its national policy approach to cyber issues, with President Obama’s National Security Action Plan and 30-day Cybersecurity Sprint, and the passing of the Cybersecurity Act. South Korea, Japan, Australia and Singapore round out the top five.
South Korea and Japan have swapped positions in second and third place, and Australia has leapfrogged Singapore into fourth place, recovering after dropping to fifth place in 2015. Australia’s improved position reflects the changes taking place as part of the implementation of the new Australian Cyber Security Strategy.
This includes the appointment of Australia’s first ministerial level cyber position (Minister Assisting the Prime Minister The Hon. Dan Tehan) and a new coordinator within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for government for cyber issues (Alastair MacGibbon).
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The defence of Australia’s interests is a core business of federal governments. Regardless of who wins the election on July 2, the incoming government will have to grapple with a wide range of security issues. This report provides a range of perspectives on selected defence and national security issues, as well as a number of policy recommendations.
Contributors include Kim Beazley, Peter Jennings, Graeme Dobell, Shiro Armstrong, Andrew Davies, Tobias Feakin, Malcolm Davis, Rod Lyon, Mark Thomson, Jacinta Carroll, Paul Barnes, John Coyne, David Connery, Anthony Bergin, Lisa Sharland, Christopher Cowan, James Mugg, Simon Norton, Cesar Alvarez, Jessica Woodall, Zoe Hawkins, Liam Nevill, Dione Hodgson, David Lang, Amelia Long and Lachlan Wilson.
ASPI produced a similar brief before the 2013 election. There are some enduring challenges, such as cybersecurity, terrorism and an uncertain global economic outlook. Natural disasters are a constant feature of life on the Pacific and Indian Ocean rim.
But there are also challenges that didn’t seem so acute only three years ago such as recent events in the South China Sea, North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, and ISIS as a military threat and an exporter of global terrorism.
The incumbent for the next term of government will have to deal with these issues.
Launch Video
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Aserious approach to military modernisation requires countries to equip, train, and organise cyberforces for what has become an essential component of national defence and deterrence. A force without adequate cyber capabilities is more dangerous to itself than to its opponents. As nations move forward in rethinking the role and nature of their military forces, and as they study the problems of organisation, doctrine and use of cyber operations, they need to:
develop the full range of military cyber capabilities with both offensive and defensive application
create a centralised command structure for those capabilities, with clear requirements for political-level approval for action
embed those capabilities in doctrine and a legal framework based on international law.
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The second edition of the International Cyber Policy Centre’s annual Cyber Maturity in the Asia Pacific is the culmination of 12 months research and analysis delving into the cyber maturity of 20 countries within our region. It is a usable, quick-reference resource for those in government, business, academia, and the wider cyber community who are looking to make considered, evidence-based cyber policy judgements in the Asia-Pacific. It provides a depth of information and analysis that builds a deeper understanding of regional countries’ whole of nation approach to cyber policy, crime, and security issues, and identifies potential opportunities for engagement.
This years’ maturity metric contains five new countries and integrates a stand-alone assessment category on cybercrime enforcement. This new cybercrime category joins continuing assessments of whole-of-government policy and legislative structures, military organisation, international engagement and CERT team maturity in addition to business and digital economic strength and levels of cyber social awareness. This information is distilled into an accessible format, using metrics to provide a snapshot by which government, business, and the public alike can garner an understanding of the cyber profile of regional actors.
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To make considered, evidence-based cyber policy judgements in the Asia-Pacific there’s a need for better tools to assess the existing ‘cyber maturity’ of nations in the region.
Over the past twelve months the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s International Cyber Policy Centre has developed a Maturity Metric which provides an assessment of the regional cyber landscape. This measurement encompasses an evaluation of whole-of-government policy and legislative structures, military organisation, business and digital economic strength and levels of cyber social awareness.
This information is distilled into an accessible format, using metrics to provide a snapshot by which government, business, and the public alike can garner an understanding of the cyber profile of regional actors.
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This report looks at the desire among states for greater control over the digital domain. It considers the convergence of controlling desires among the major cyberpowers and examines some of the main dynamics of the Russian and Chinese positions. Their positions are examined relative to each other and to the Western consensus.
The paper analyses the potential implications for the global internet and the impact that developing countries may have on the dialogue.
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