Podcasts about Australian Signals Directorate

The Australian Signals Directorate is one of Australia's most secretive agencies, responsible for decoding enemy messages, protecting us from cyber threats and collaborating with allied intelligence services. Rachel Noble knows how the machine works, as the former head of ASD she helped shape Australia's role in the Five Eyes alliance. Now, with Trump's return and Signal-gate leaks, can Australia still trust its closest ally?Guest: Rachel Noble, former Director-General of Australia Signals Directorate Recommendations:Geraldine:  The Crisis of our Time by Christopher ClarkHamish: East West Street by Philippe SandsGET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

* Banks at Risk: Nearly 100 Staff Logins Stolen by Cybercriminals* 'AirBorne' Vulnerabilities Expose Apple Devices to Remote Code Execution Attacks* WhatsApp Introduces 'Private Processing' for Secure Cloud-Based AI Features* Microsoft Warns Default Kubernetes Helm Charts Create Security Vulnerabilities* Security Concerns Grow Over Electric Vehicles as Potential Surveillance PlatformsBanks at Risk: Nearly 100 Staff Logins Stolen by Cybercriminalshttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-01/bank-employee-data-stolen-with-malware-and-sold-online/105232872Cyber criminals have stolen almost 100 staff logins from Australia's "Big Four" banks, potentially exposing these financial institutions to serious cyber threats including data theft and ransomware attacks, according to recent findings from cyber intelligence firm Hudson Rock.The compromised credentials belong to current and former employees and contractors at ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB, and Westpac, with ANZ and Commonwealth Bank experiencing the highest number of breaches. All stolen credentials included corporate email addresses with access to official bank domains."There are around 100 compromised employees that are related to those four banks," said Hudson Rock analyst Leonid Rozenberg. While this number is significantly smaller than the 31,000 customer banking passwords recently reported stolen, the security implications could be more severe."Technically, [attackers] need only one [login] to do a lot of damage," Rozenberg warned.The credentials were stolen between 2021 and April 2025 using specialized "infostealer" malware designed to harvest sensitive data from infected devices. These stolen credentials have subsequently appeared on Telegram and dark web marketplaces.Security experts explain that these breaches could potentially give hackers "initial access" to the banks' corporate networks. While banks employ additional security measures such as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), specialized cybercriminals known as "initial access brokers" focus on finding ways around these protections, often targeting employees working from home.The investigation also uncovered a concerning number of compromised third-party service credentials connected to these banks, with ANZ having more than 100 such breaches and NAB more than 70. These compromised services could include critical communication and project management tools like Slack, JIRA, and Salesforce.All four banks have responded by stating they have multiple safeguards in place to prevent unauthorized access. NAB reports actively scanning cybercrime forums to monitor threats, while CommBank noted investing over $800 million in cybersecurity and financial crime prevention last financial year.The Australian Signals Directorate has already warned that infostealer infections have led to successful attacks on Australian businesses, highlighting that this threat extends beyond the banking sector to organizations across all industries.'AirBorne' Vulnerabilities Expose Apple Devices to Remote Code Execution Attackshttps://www.oligo.security/blog/airborneSecurity researchers at Oligo Security have uncovered a serious set of vulnerabilities in Apple's AirPlay protocol and software development kit (SDK) that could allow attackers to remotely execute code on affected devices without user interaction. These flaws, collectively dubbed "AirBorne," affect millions of Apple and third-party devices worldwide.The security team discovered 23 distinct vulnerabilities that enable various attack vectors, including zero-click and one-click remote code execution, man-in-the-middle attacks, denial of service attacks, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Perhaps most concerning are two specific flaws (CVE-2025-24252 and CVE-2025-24132) that researchers demonstrated could create "wormable" zero-click attacks, potentially spreading from device to device across networks.Another critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-24206) enables attackers to bypass the "Accept" prompt normally required for AirPlay connections, creating a pathway for truly zero-interaction compromises when combined with other flaws."This means that an attacker can take over certain AirPlay-enabled devices and do things like deploy malware that spreads to devices on any local network the infected device connects to," warned Oligo. "This could lead to the delivery of other sophisticated attacks related to espionage, ransomware, supply-chain attacks, and more."While exploitation is limited to attackers on the same network as vulnerable devices, the potential impact is extensive. Apple reports over 2.35 billion active devices worldwide, and Oligo estimates tens of millions of additional third-party AirPlay-compatible products like speakers, TVs, and car infotainment systems could be affected.Apple released security updates on March 31 to address these vulnerabilities across their product line, including patches for iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, macOS versions (Ventura 13.7.5, Sonoma 14.7.5, and Sequoia 15.4), and visionOS 2.4 for Apple Vision Pro. The company also updated the AirPlay audio and video SDKs and the CarPlay Communication Plug-in.Security experts strongly advise all users to immediately update their Apple devices and any third-party AirPlay-enabled products. Additional protective measures include disabling AirPlay receivers when not in use, restricting AirPlay access to trusted devices via firewall rules, and limiting AirPlay permissions to the current user only.WhatsApp Introduces 'Private Processing' for Secure Cloud-Based AI Featureshttps://engineering.fb.com/2025/04/29/security/whatsapp-private-processing-ai-tools/Meta's WhatsApp has announced a new privacy-focused technology called 'Private Processing' that will allow users to access advanced artificial intelligence features while maintaining data security. The system is designed to enable AI functionalities like message summarization and writing suggestions that are too computationally intensive to run directly on users' devices.The new feature, which will be rolled out gradually over the coming weeks, will be entirely opt-in and disabled by default, giving users complete control over when their data leaves their device for AI processing.Private Processing employs several layers of security to protect user privacy. When activated, the system first performs anonymous authentication through the user's WhatsApp client. It then retrieves public encryption keys from a third-party content delivery network (CDN), ensuring Meta cannot trace requests back to specific individuals.To further enhance privacy, users' devices connect to Meta's gateway through a third-party relay that masks their real IP addresses. The connection establishes a secure session between the user's device and Meta's Trusted Execution Environment (TEE), using remote attestation and TLS protocols.All requests for AI processing use end-to-end encryption with ephemeral keys, and the processing occurs inside a Confidential Virtual Machine (CVM) that remains isolated from Meta's main systems. According to Meta, the processing environment is stateless, with all messages deleted after processing, retaining only "non-sensitive" logs."The AI-generated response is encrypted with a unique key only known to the device and processing CVM and is sent back over the secure session for decryption on the user's device," the company explained.To build trust in the system, WhatsApp has promised to share the CVM binary and portions of the source code for external validation. The company also plans to publish a detailed white paper explaining the secure design principles behind Private Processing.Despite these security measures, privacy experts note that sending sensitive data to cloud servers always carries some inherent risk, even with robust encryption in place. Users concerned about data privacy can either keep the feature disabled or utilize WhatsApp's recently launched 'Advanced Chat Privacy' feature, which provides more granular control over when data can leave the device.Microsoft Warns Default Kubernetes Helm Charts Create Security Vulnerabilitieshttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftdefendercloudblog/the-risk-of-default-configuration-how-out-of-the-box-helm-charts-can-breach-your/4409560Microsoft security researchers have issued an urgent warning about significant security risks posed by default configurations in Kubernetes deployments, particularly when using out-of-the-box Helm charts. These configurations can inadvertently expose sensitive data to the public internet without proper authentication protections.According to a new report from Michael Katchinskiy and Yossi Weizman of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Research, many popular Helm charts lack basic security measures, often leaving exploitable ports open and implementing weak or hardcoded passwords that are easy to compromise."Default configurations that lack proper security controls create a severe security threat," the Microsoft researchers warn. "Without carefully reviewing the YAML manifests and Helm charts, organizations may unknowingly deploy services lacking any form of protection, leaving them fully exposed to attackers."Kubernetes has become a widely adopted open-source platform for automating containerized application deployment and management, with Helm serving as its package manager. Helm charts function as templates or blueprints that define resources needed to run applications through YAML files. While these charts offer convenience by simplifying complex deployments, their default settings often prioritize ease of use over security.The report highlights three specific examples demonstrating this widespread issue. Apache Pinot's Helm chart exposes core services through Kubernetes LoadBalancer services with no authentication requirements. Meshery allows public sign-up from exposed IP addresses, potentially giving anyone registration access to cluster operations. Meanwhile, Selenium Grid exposes services across all nodes in a cluster through NodePort, relying solely on external firewall rules for protection.The Selenium Grid vulnerability is particularly concerning as cybersecurity firms including Wiz have already observed attacks targeting misconfigured instances to deploy XMRig miners for cryptocurrency mining.Organizations using Kubernetes are advised to implement several key mitigation strategies. Microsoft recommends thoroughly reviewing default configurations of Helm charts before deployment, ensuring they include proper authentication mechanisms and network isolation. Regular scans for misconfigurations that might publicly expose workload interfaces are crucial, as is continuous monitoring of containers for suspicious activity.The findings underscore a critical tension in cloud deployment between convenience and security, with many users — particularly those inexperienced with cloud security — inadvertently creating vulnerabilities by deploying charts without customizing their security settings.Security Concerns Grow Over Electric Vehicles as Potential Surveillance Platformshttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/29/source-of-data-are-electric-cars-vulnerable-to-cyber-spies-and-hackersCybersecurity experts are raising alarms about the potential for electric vehicles to be exploited as surveillance tools, particularly those manufactured in China, according to recent reports from the UK.British defense firms working with the UK government have reportedly warned staff against connecting their phones to Chinese-made electric cars due to concerns that Beijing could extract sensitive information from their devices. The warning highlights growing security considerations around the increasingly sophisticated technology embedded in modern electric vehicles.Security specialists interviewed by The Guardian note that electric vehicles are equipped with multiple data collection points, including microphones, cameras, and wireless connectivity features that could potentially be leveraged by malicious actors or hostile states."There are lots of opportunities to collect data and therefore lots of opportunities to compromise a vehicle like that," explains Rafe Pilling, director of threat intelligence at cybersecurity firm Secureworks. He points out that over-the-air update capabilities, which allow manufacturers to remotely update a car's operating software, could potentially be used to exfiltrate data.The concerns are particularly focused on individuals in sensitive positions. "If you are an engineer who is working on a sixth-generation fighter jet and you have a work phone that you are connecting to your personal vehicle, you need to be aware that by connecting these devices you could be allowing access to data on your mobile," warns Joseph Jarnecki, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers such as BYD and XPeng have drawn particular scrutiny due to China's National Intelligence Law of 2017, which requires organizations and citizens to cooperate with national intelligence efforts. However, experts also note there is currently no public evidence of Chinese vehicles being used for espionage.Cybersecurity professionals suggest that concerned drivers can click "don't trust" when connecting devices to their vehicles, but this sacrifices many convenient features. They also caution against syncing personal devices with rental cars, as this can leave sensitive data in the vehicle's systems.The UK government has acknowledged the issue, with Defence Minister Lord Coaker stating they are "working with other government departments to understand and mitigate any potential threats to national security from vehicles." He emphasized that their work applies to all types of vehicles, not just those manufactured in China.While the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) maintains that all manufacturers selling cars in the UK must adhere to data privacy regulations, the growing integration of connected technologies in electric vehicles continues to raise new security considerations for both government officials and everyday consumers alike. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit edwinkwan.substack.com

* Cyber Attacks Target Multiple Australian Super Funds, Half Million Dollars Stolen* Intelligence Agencies Warn of "Fast Flux" Threat to National Security* SpotBugs Token Theft Revealed as Origin of Multi-Stage GitHub Supply Chain Attack* ASIC Secures Court Orders to Shut Down 95 "Hydra-Like" Scam Companies* Oracle Acknowledges "Legacy Environment" Breach After Weeks of DenialCyber Attacks Target Multiple Australian Super Funds, Half Million Dollars Stolenhttps://www.itnews.com.au/news/aussie-super-funds-targeted-by-fraudsters-using-stolen-creds-616269https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-04/superannuation-cyber-attack-rest-afsa/105137820Multiple Australian superannuation funds have been hit by a wave of cyber attacks, with AustralianSuper confirming that four members have lost a combined $500,000 in retirement savings. The nation's largest retirement fund has reportedly faced approximately 600 attempted cyber attacks in the past month alone.AustralianSuper has now confirmed that "up to 600" of its members were impacted by the incident. Chief member officer Rose Kerlin stated, "This week we identified that cyber criminals may have used up to 600 members' stolen passwords to log into their accounts in attempts to commit fraud." The fund has taken "immediate action to lock these accounts" and notify affected members.Rest Super has also been impacted, with CEO Vicki Doyle confirming that "less than one percent" of its members were affected—equivalent to fewer than 20,000 accounts based on recent membership reports. Rest detected "unauthorised activity" on its member access portal "over the weekend of 29-30 March" and "responded immediately by shutting down the member access portal, undertaking investigations and launching our cyber security incident response protocols."While Rest stated that no member funds were transferred out of accounts, "limited personal information" was likely accessed. "We are in the process of contacting impacted members to work through what this means for them and provide support," Doyle said.HostPlus has confirmed it is "actively investigating the situation" but stated that "no HostPlus member losses have occurred" so far. Several other funds including Insignia and Australian Retirement were also reportedly affected.Members across multiple funds have reported difficulty accessing their accounts online, with some logging in to find alarming $0 balances displayed. The disruption has caused considerable anxiety among account holders.National cyber security coordinator Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness confirmed that "cyber criminals are targeting individual account holders of a number of superannuation funds" and is coordinating with government agencies and industry stakeholders in response. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) are engaging with all potentially impacted funds.AustralianSuper urged members to log into their accounts "to check that their bank account and contact details are correct and make sure they have a strong and unique password that is not used for other sites." The fund also noted it has been working with "the Australian Signals Directorate, the National Office of Cyber Security, regulators and other authorities" since detecting the unauthorised access.If you're a member of any of those funds, watch for official communications and be wary of potential phishing attempts that may exploit the situation.Intelligence Agencies Warn of "Fast Flux" Threat to National Securityhttps://www.cyber.gov.au/about-us/view-all-content/alerts-and-advisories/fast-flux-national-security-threatMultiple intelligence agencies have issued a joint cybersecurity advisory warning organizations about a significant defensive gap in many networks against a technique known as "fast flux." The National Security Agency (NSA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), FBI, Australian Signals Directorate, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, and New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre have collaborated to raise awareness about this growing threat.Fast flux is a domain-based technique that enables malicious actors to rapidly change DNS records associated with a domain, effectively concealing the locations of malicious servers and creating resilient command and control infrastructure. This makes tracking and blocking such malicious activities extremely challenging for cybersecurity professionals."This technique poses a significant threat to national security, enabling malicious cyber actors to consistently evade detection," states the advisory. Threat actors employ two common variants: single flux, where a single domain links to numerous rotating IP addresses, and double flux, which adds an additional layer by frequently changing the DNS name servers responsible for resolving the domain.The advisory highlights several advantages that fast flux networks provide to cybercriminals: increased resilience against takedown attempts, rendering IP blocking ineffective due to rapid address turnover, and providing anonymity that complicates investigations. Beyond command and control communications, fast flux techniques are also deployed in phishing campaigns and to maintain cybercriminal forums and marketplaces.Notably, some bulletproof hosting providers now advertise fast flux as a service differentiator. One such provider boasted on a dark web forum about protecting clients from Spamhaus blocklists through easily enabled fast flux capabilities.The advisory recommends organizations implement a multi-layered defense approach, including leveraging threat intelligence feeds, analyzing DNS query logs for anomalies, reviewing time-to-live values in DNS records, and monitoring for inconsistent geolocation. It also emphasizes the importance of DNS and IP blocking, reputation filtering, enhanced monitoring, and information sharing among cybersecurity communities."Organizations should not assume that their Protective DNS providers block malicious fast flux activity automatically, and should contact their providers to validate coverage of this specific cyber threat," the advisory warns.Intelligence agencies are urging all stakeholders—both government and providers—to collaborate in developing scalable solutions to close this ongoing security gap that enables threat actors to maintain persistent access to compromised systems while evading detection.SpotBugs Token Theft Revealed as Origin of Multi-Stage GitHub Supply Chain Attackhttps://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/github-actions-supply-chain-attack/Security researchers have traced the sophisticated supply chain attack that targeted Coinbase in March 2025 back to its origin point: the theft of a personal access token (PAT) associated with the popular open-source static analysis tool SpotBugs.Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 revealed in their latest update that while the attack against cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase occurred in March 2025, evidence suggests the malicious activity began as early as November 2024, demonstrating the attackers' patience and methodical approach."The attackers obtained initial access by taking advantage of the GitHub Actions workflow of SpotBugs," Unit 42 explained. This initial compromise allowed the threat actors to move laterally between repositories until gaining access to reviewdog, another open-source project that became a crucial link in the attack chain.Investigators determined that the SpotBugs maintainer was also an active contributor to the reviewdog project. When the attackers stole this maintainer's PAT, they gained the ability to push malicious code to both repositories.The breach sequence began when attackers pushed a malicious GitHub Actions workflow file to the "spotbugs/spotbugs" repository using a disposable account named "jurkaofavak." Even more concerning, this account had been invited to join the repository by one of the project maintainers on March 11, 2025 – suggesting the attackers had already compromised administrative access.Unit 42 revealed the attackers exploited a vulnerability in the repository's CI/CD process. On November 28, 2024, the SpotBugs maintainer modified a workflow in the "spotbugs/sonar-findbugs" repository to use their personal access token while troubleshooting technical difficulties. About a week later, attackers submitted a malicious pull request that exploited a GitHub Actions feature called "pull_request_target," which allows workflows from forks to access secrets like the maintainer's PAT.This compromise initiated what security experts call a "poisoned pipeline execution attack" (PPE). The stolen credentials were later used to compromise the reviewdog project, which in turn affected "tj-actions/changed-files" – a GitHub Action used by numerous organizations including Coinbase.One puzzling aspect of the attack is the three-month delay between the initial token theft and the Coinbase breach. Security researchers speculate the attackers were carefully monitoring high-value targets that depended on the compromised components before launching their attack.The SpotBugs maintainer has since confirmed the stolen PAT was the same token later used to invite the malicious account to the repository. All tokens have now been rotated to prevent further unauthorized access.Security experts remain puzzled by one aspect of the attack: "Having invested months of effort and after achieving so much, why did the attackers print the secrets to logs, and in doing so, also reveal their attack?" Unit 42 researchers noted, suggesting there may be more to this sophisticated operation than currently understood.ASIC Secures Court Orders to Shut Down 95 "Hydra-Like" Scam Companieshttps://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2025-releases/25-052mr-asic-warns-of-threat-from-hydra-like-scammers-after-obtaining-court-orders-to-shut-down-95-companies/The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has successfully obtained Federal Court orders to wind up 95 companies suspected of involvement in sophisticated online investment and romance baiting scams, commonly known as "pig butchering" schemes.ASIC Deputy Chair Sarah Court warned consumers to remain vigilant when engaging with online investment websites and mobile applications, describing the scam operations as "hydra-like" – when one is shut down, two more emerge in its place."Scammers will use every tool they can think of to steal people's money and personal information," Court said. "ASIC takes action to frustrate their efforts, including by prosecuting those that help facilitate their conduct and taking down over 130 scam websites each week."The Federal Court granted ASIC's application after the regulator discovered most of the companies had been incorporated using false information. Justice Stewart described the case for winding up each company as "overwhelming," citing a justifiable lack of confidence in their conduct and management.ASIC believes many of these companies were established to provide a "veneer of credibility" by purporting to offer genuine services. The regulator has taken steps to remove numerous related websites and applications that allegedly facilitated scam activity by tricking consumers into making investments in fraudulent foreign exchange, digital assets, or commodities trading platforms.In some cases, ASIC suspects the companies were incorporated using stolen identities, highlighting the increasingly sophisticated techniques employed by scammers. These operations often create professional-looking websites and applications designed to lull victims into a false sense of security.The action represents the latest effort in ASIC's ongoing battle against investment scams. The regulator reports removing approximately 130 scam websites weekly, with more than 10,000 sites taken down to date – including 7,227 fake investment platforms, 1,564 phishing scam hyperlinks, and 1,257 cryptocurrency investment scams.Oracle Acknowledges "Legacy Environment" Breach After Weeks of Denialhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-02/oracle-tells-clients-of-second-recent-hack-log-in-data-stolenOracle has finally admitted to select customers that attackers breached a "legacy environment" and stole client credentials, according to a Bloomberg report. The tech giant characterized the compromised data as old information from a platform last used in 2017, suggesting it poses minimal risk.However, this account conflicts with evidence provided by the threat actor from late 2024 and posted records from 2025 on a hacking forum. The attacker, known as "rose87168," listed 6 million data records for sale on BreachForums on March 20, including sample databases, LDAP information, and company lists allegedly stolen from Oracle Cloud's federated SSO login servers.Oracle has reportedly informed customers that cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and the FBI are investigating the incident. According to cybersecurity firm CybelAngel, Oracle told clients that attackers gained access to the company's Gen 1 servers (Oracle Cloud Classic) as early as January 2025 by exploiting a 2020 Java vulnerability to deploy a web shell and additional malware.The breach, detected in late February, reportedly involved the exfiltration of data from the Oracle Identity Manager database, including user emails, hashed passwords, and usernames.When initially questioned about the leaked data, Oracle firmly stated: "There has been no breach of Oracle Cloud. The published credentials are not for the Oracle Cloud. No Oracle Cloud customers experienced a breach or lost any data." However, cybersecurity expert Kevin Beaumont noted this appears to be "wordplay," explaining that "Oracle rebadged old Oracle Cloud services to be Oracle Classic. Oracle Classic has the security incident." This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit edwinkwan.substack.com

Discover the fascinating world of cybersecurity with our special guest, Glenn Maiden, Director of Threat Intelligence at FortiGuard Labs, ANZ. From his beginnings in the mid-90s with the Department of Defence to his pivotal roles at the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Tax Office, Glenn offers a wealth of knowledge and insights as he discusses the evolution from traditional information security to modern cyber intelligence. He also sheds light on how his team at FortiGuard Labs collaborates on a global scale to protect customers from emerging threats.Today's digital landscape is riddled with complex cyber threats, and we unravel this intricate web with an engaging discussion on hyper-connectivity and its vulnerabilities. The conversation exposes the sophisticated tactics of cybercriminals, from nation-state actors to organised crime, and explores how anonymity and jurisdictional complexities provide them with strategic advantages. Yet, amidst this challenging terrain, there is optimism as advancements in cybersecurity measures are bolstering resilience, particularly in regions like Australia, where substantial investments are being made to combat emerging threats.As we navigate the volatile global environment, the conversation shifts towards protecting critical infrastructure and the proactive measures being championed by government initiatives like Australia's SOCI Act. We consider the alarming prospect of cyber-attacks as a precursor to conflict and discuss strategies to mitigate such risks, including the integration of AI and the importance of multi-factor authentication and smart access controls. The episode rounds out with an exploration of the convergence of cyber threats and misinformation, highlighting the role of cyber gangs and nation-state activities in election interference and the increasing threat of cyber-enabled misinformation, especially among the younger, more connected generations. Tune in for a compelling discussion that offers valuable insights into the future of digital safety.

How can we safeguard our digital infrastructure in the age of quantum computing? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I speak with Rahul Tyagi, CEO of SECQAI, a NATO-backed leader in quantum-resilient and memory-safe semiconductor solutions. As quantum computing accelerates, the risks to current encryption systems grow, making it critical to rethink how we protect our most sensitive data and systems. Rahul shares insights into the looming quantum computing threat, where "steal now, decrypt later" strategies are already compromising long-term data security. He explains how SECQAI's groundbreaking secure semiconductor architecture, built on memory-safe principles, can block up to 70% of global cyberattacks while ensuring readiness for post-quantum cryptography. We discuss the pivotal role of collaboration between governments, industry, and academia in creating innovative solutions, from Cambridge University's Cherry architecture to partnerships with Oxford Quantum Circuits for quantum machine learning research. Rahul also highlights key timelines for quantum resilience, including global policy initiatives such as NIST's roadmap and aggressive adoption goals from agencies like CISA and the Australian Signals Directorate. As we stand at the crossroads of quantum advancement and cybersecurity, how can organizations and policymakers align to future-proof critical infrastructure? Join us as we explore these pressing challenges and solutions, and let us know your thoughts on what the quantum-resilient future holds.

In this episode of the ADSTAR podcast series, host Liam Garman is joined by Dr Sanjay Mazumdar, executive director of the Defence Trailblazer, to discuss the commercialisation of research to strengthen Australia's sovereign defence capabilities. The pair then discuss key focus areas for the Defence Trailblazer and their achievements to date, before examining some challenges they've faced along the way. The podcast will then showcase a live discussion from ADSTAR on accelerating innovation, featuring: Karl Hanmore, first assistant director-general mission capability and chief technology officer at the Australian Signals Directorate. Dr Rick Muller, director of the US' Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity. Jay Dryer, director of the US' Strategic Capabilities Office. Professor Emily Hilder, head of the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator. Dr Sanjay Mazumdar, executive director of the Defence Trailblazer. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

Summary Rachel Noble joins Andrew to discuss her role as Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate. Rachel is the first woman to hold this position.   What You'll Learn Intelligence The Australian Signals Directorate: Its purpose and mission The true story of the Pine Gap spy facility Leadership in Intelligence The SIGINT origins of the Five Eyes alliance Reflections The value of team The importance of work-life balance And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “Women lead differently. We talk differently, we engage in different ways. And I've had to learn to own that about myself and not be tempted to try to be like the guys, compete with them on their own terms, or to adopt male behaviors in order to be heard … [Doing that] doesn't really help other women who might come after me.” – Rachel Noble. Resources  SURFACE SKIM *SpyCasts* Codebreaking and Codemaking Down Under with John Blaxland and Clare Birgin (2024) Australian National Day Special: Intelligence Down Under with John Blaxland (2024) SPY CHIEFS: Director-General of Security Mike Burgess - ASIO, Australia & America (2022) Keeping Secrets/Disclosing Secrets with Spy Chief turned DG of Australia's National Archives David Fricker (2022)  *Beginner Resources* What is SIGINT? YouTube (2020) [2 min. video] Who we are, Australian Signals Directorate (2020) [Short article] Our Agencies, National Intelligence Community of Australia (n.d.) [Overview of each agency in the Australian IC] DEEPER DIVE Primary Sources  REDSPICE Blueprint (2022) Report of the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security (1977)  Australian Treaty Series: Five Power Defence Agreements (1971) Australian Treaty Series: Agreement between the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Government of the United States of America relating to the Establishment of a Joint Defence Space Research Facility (1966) Policy file containing Cabinet approval of establishment of Joint Intelligence Organisation and participation of New Zealand Government (1946)  ASD Role and effectiveness of Signals Intelligence in World War II (1945) *Wildcard Resource* Rachel mentioned in this podcast episode that one of her favorite treats when coming to the States are Snickerdoodles – A delectable sugar cookie showered in cinnamon-sugar topping.  In the cookie world, snickerdoodles are a more recent invention with their first written mention being in an 1889 cookbook. Learn more about the history of cookies here!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summary John Blaxland (X, LinkedIn) and Clare Birgin (Wikipedia, LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss Australian codebreaking. John and Clare are coauthors of the new book Revealing Secrets.  What You'll Learn Intelligence The importance of SIGINT Codebreaking in Australian intelligence Australia's role in WWII and the Cold War The advent and evolution of cyber  Reflections Strategic defense and offense  The power, and danger, of communication And much, much more … Quotes of the Week "What I've noticed with the Australians, and I think it's similar in the other the other Five Eyes countries, these people tend to be quite patriotic to do [Signals Intelligence]. They want to, they love their country, and it also seems to preserve very good qualities.” -Clare Birgin. Resources  SURFACE SKIM *Spotlight Resource*  Revealing Secrets: An unofficial history of Australian Signals intelligence and the advent of cyber, Clare Birgin and John Blaxland (University of New South Wales Press, 2023)  *SpyCasts* I Helped Solve the Final Zodiac Killer Cipher with David Oranchak (2024) Australian National Day Special: Intelligence Down Under with John Blaxland (2024) My Father the Navajo Code-Talker with Laura Tohe (2023)  CYBER AUGUST: “So, You Want to Be a Codebreaker?” with Elonka Dunin and Klaus Schmeh (2021)  *Beginner Resources* Australia's Involvement in WWII, Australian Broadcasting Service, YouTube (2020) [4 min. video] A short history of cyber espionage, D. O'Brien, Medium (2017) [Short article] Signals Intelligence (SINGINT) Overview, National Security Agency (n.d.) [Short article] DEEPER DIVE Primary Sources  WMD Report (2005)  The ANZUS Treaty (1951) Role and effectiveness of Signals Intelligence in World War II (1945) The Atlantic Charter (1941) The Zimmerman Telegram (1917) Oral History by Ruby Boye Jones (n.d.) *Wildcard Resource* Here's a challenge – For their 75th Anniversary in 2022, the Australian Signals Directorate released a limited edition coin with multiple layers of code to crack on both sides.  Think you can solve it? Check out the link above and test your code-cracking skills.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The culprit behind a hack that exposed the medical details of four million Australians has been identified as a "Russian individual" who will now face Australia's cybersecurity laws in their first official test. Foreign Minister Penny Wong told a press conference Australian Federal Police and the Australian Signals Directorate tracked down the alleged cybercriminal.Millsy and Karl talked to Monash University Cybersecurity Expert Nigel Phair about how the cuplrit was tracked down, and how the new cybersecurity laws will be tested.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Signals Directorate has released a new report, detailing the number of cybersecurity incidents affecting critical infrastructure operators and it looks like cyber attacks are going up. To help us understand the situation is professor of cyber security at Monash University, Nigel Phair.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyber crime is on the rise in Australia, according to a new report from the Australian Signals Directorate, A western Sydney business has come under fire for refusing to lease a jumping castle to a Jewish high school, An Iranian spy tried to hire a hitman to kill members of Donald Trump's administration, Two new complaints have been lodged against Russell Brand, Matt LeBlanc has paid tribute to Matthew PerrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're thinking the title of this week's episode sounds distinctly like it's describing modern day espionage and intelligence agencies you would be right! We are super excited to share this exclusive conversation with Cyber Security leader, Abigail Bradshaw. Abi is Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) which is part of the national Foreign Intelligence agency known as the Australian Signals Directorate. Abi describes her job as “revealing other peoples' secrets whilst protecting our own”. The agency she heads, the ACSC, is tasked with protecting Australia's communications and technology networks, and all Australians, from malicious cyber activity. That includes threats from both sovereign nations and cyber criminals.Suffice to say, Abi is a very busy person! Abi has had a fascinating career and is passionate about serving her country. She's also really passionate about seeing more women in leadership roles and is proud of the number of women who are working with her at the agency. In this episode you'll hear: How Abi's career journey took her from being a lawyer in the Navy to a key role in an intelligence agencyWhy Abi realised she had to change her leadership style significantly when she started her current role, The pros and cons of having to lock your mobile away all day; andHer seriously informed tips of how we can all protect ourselves from cyber crime. This really is a special episode so synchronise watches, put your phones on silent, and enjoy this conversation with the dynamic and patriotic Abigail Bradshaw.Useful LinksAustralian Signals Directorate website Australian Cyber Security Centre websiteFree cyber advice Link to TAFE Cyber Essential 8 course Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special episode, Dr Miah Hammond-Errey is joined by Michael Green, CEO of the United States Studies Centre, to consider the conversations and developments around technology decoupling between the United States and China across the past six months. Drawing on insights from previous guests on the podcast, Miah and Mike cover topics from international standards, subsea cables and individual user trust in technology to the role of Japan and Australia. They also discuss the role of alliances, digital infrastructure, national security and historical lessons that can inform this evolving area of debate.Technology and Security is hosted by Dr Miah Hammond-Errey, the inaugural director of the Emerging Technology program at the United States Studies Centre, based at the University of Sydney. Clips used in this recording:Jessica Hunter, First Assistant Director-General Access & Effects Operations at the Australian Signals Directorate, recorded in Canberra, February 2023 for Technology and Security Episode 1.Alex Lynch, Google Australia Public Policy Manager, recorded in Sydney, March 2023 for Technology and Security Episode 2.Julie Inman Grant, Australia's eSafety Commissioner, recorded in Sydney, March 2023 for Technology and Security Episode 3.Dr Robert Atkinson, President and Founder of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, recorded in Sydney in March 2023 while at the USSC as a Visiting Fellow.The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury and Assistant Minister for Employment, and Dr Robert Atkinson, President and Founder of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, recorded in Canberra, March 2023 at the USSC's ‘Technology, Innovation And Strategic Competition' event.Sue Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, recorded in Washington, May 2023 for Technology and Security Episode 4.Resources mentioned in the recording:  (USSC Polling Explainer) Collaboration with trusted allies and distrust in Chinese technology: American, Australian and Japanese views on technology (Standards Australia Report) Iconic Nation(ASD Resources) Protecting your devices and cybersecurity(USSC Report) Secrecy, sovereignty and sharing: How data and emerging technologies are transforming intelligence (Elisabeth Braw, Foreign Policy article on subsea cables) Decoupling Is Already Happening – Under the Sea (White House) CHIPS and Science Act (US Bureau of Industry and Security) Commerce Implements New Export Controls on Advanced Computing and Semiconductor Manufacturing Items to the People's Republic of China (PRC)(Australian Defence Force) Defence Strategic Review 2023(White House) National Security Strategy(Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan) National Security Strategy (Wall Street Journal) Potato Chips Vs. Computer Chips – High Technology Any Way You Slice ItMaking great content requires fabulous teams. Thanks to the great talents of the following. Special co-host: Dr Mike GreenResearch support and assistance: Tom BarrettProduction: Elliott BrennanPodcast Design: Susan BealeMusic: Dr Paul MacThis podcast was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging — here and wherever you're listening. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

In this episode of The Security Detail, Kirsty and Audra take a look at the cyber threat landscape for the public sector from an Australian perspective. The episode features an interview with Dan Tripovich, who is currently the Assistant Director-General Standards, Technical Advice and Research (STAR) within the Australian Signals Directorate's Australian Cyber Security Centre Group. STAR Branch delivers ACSC's flagship publications, including the Australian Government Information Security Manual, the Essential Eight and Protective Cyber Security guidance to the Australian public. Dan is also responsible for the delivery of the ACSC's Research, International Standards and Technical Advice capabilities to support the secure operation of Critical, Emerging and Operational Technologies.   Resources: - Australian Cyber Security Centre - An Introduction to Securing Smart Places - Essential Eight - REDSPICE investment    

We discuss the Trump indictment and Australia's intelligence services with John Blaxland and Clare Birgin on this episode of Democracy Sausage.Why is the Australian Signals Directorate, a secretive and seemingly esoteric part of the Department of Defence, becoming increasingly important to Australian society? And why have Australian officials tended to be more secretive than their counterparts in other democracies? Professor John Blaxland and Clare Birgin join Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss Australia's intelligence services, their new book, Revealing Secrets, and why it almost didn't make it to print.John Blaxland is a Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies at ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs and a regular media commentator.Clare Birgin is a former Australian diplomat, who served as Ambassador in Hungary, Serbia, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia and Montenegro.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.Nominate outstanding ANU graduates for the 2023 Alumni Awards.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We kick off a jam-packed episode of the Cyberlaw Podcast by flagging the news that ransomware revenue fell substantially in 2022. There is lots of room for error in that Chainalysis finding, Nick Weaver notes, but the effect is large. Among the reasons to think it might also be real is resistance to paying ransoms on the part of companies and their insurers, who are especially concerned about liability for payments to sanctioned ransomware gangs. I also note that a fascinating additional insight from Jon DiMaggio, who infiltrated the Lockbit ransomware gang. He says that Entrust was hit by Lockbit, which threatened to release its internal files, and that the company responded with days of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks on Lockbit's infrastructure – and never did pay up. That would be a heartening display of courage. It would also be a felony, at least according to the conventional wisdom that condemns hacking back. So I cannot help thinking there is more to the story. Like, maybe Canadian Security Intelligence Service is joining Australian Signals Directorate in releasing the hounds on ransomware gangs. I look forward to more stories on this undercovered disclosure. Gus Hurwitz offers two explanations for the Federal Aviation Administration system outage, which grounded planes across the country. There's the official version and the conspiracy theory, as with everything else these days. Nick breaks down the latest cryptocurrency failure; this time it's Genesis. Nick's not a fan of this prepackaged bankruptcy. And Gus and I puzzle over the Federal Trade Commission's determination to write regulations to outlaw most non-compete clauses. Justin Sherman, a first-timer on the podcast, covers recent research showing that alleged Russian social media interference had no meaningful effect on the 2016 election. That spurs an outburst from me about the cynical scam that was the “Russia, Russia, Russia” narrative—a kind of 2016 election denial for which the press and the left have never apologized. Nick explains the looming impact of Twitter's interest payment obligation. We're going to learn a lot more about Elon Musk's business plans from how he deals with that crisis than from anything he's tweeted in recent months. It does not get more cyberlawyerly than a case the Supreme Court will be taking up this term—Gonzalez v. Google. This case will put Section 230 squarely on the Court's docket, and the amicus briefs can be measured by the shovelful. The issue is whether YouTube's recommendation of terrorist videos can ever lead to liability—or whether any judgment is barred by Section 230. Gus and I are on different sides of that question, but we agree that this is going to be a hot case, a divided Court, and a big deal. And, just to show that our foray into cyberlaw was no fluke, Gus and I also predict that the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is going to strike down the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, also known as FOSTA-SESTA—the legislative exception to Section 230 that civil society loves to hate. Its prohibition on promotion of prostitution may fall to first amendment fears on the court, but the practical impact of the law may remain. Next, Justin gives us a quick primer on the national security reasons for regulation of submarine cables. Nick covers the leak of the terror watchlist thanks to an commuter airline's sloppy security. Justin explains TikTok's latest charm offensive in Washington. Finally, I provide an update on the UK's online safety bill, which just keeps getting tougher, from criminal penalties, to “ten percent of revenue” fines, to mandating age checks that may fail technically or drive away users, or both. And I review the latest theatrical offering from Madison Square Garden—“The Revenge of the Lawyers.” You may root for the snake or for the scorpions, but you will not want to miss it.

We kick off a jam-packed episode of the Cyberlaw Podcast by flagging the news that ransomware revenue fell substantially in 2022. There is lots of room for error in that Chainalysis finding, Nick Weaver notes, but the effect is large. Among the reasons to think it might also be real is resistance to paying ransoms on the part of companies and their insurers, who are especially concerned about liability for payments to sanctioned ransomware gangs. I also note that a fascinating additional insight from Jon DiMaggio, who infiltrated the Lockbit ransomware gang. He says that Entrust was hit by Lockbit, which threatened to release its internal files, and that the company responded with days of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks on Lockbit's infrastructure – and never did pay up. That would be a heartening display of courage. It would also be a felony, at least according to the conventional wisdom that condemns hacking back. So I cannot help thinking there is more to the story. Like, maybe Canadian Security Intelligence Service is joining Australian Signals Directorate in releasing the hounds on ransomware gangs. I look forward to more stories on this undercovered disclosure. Gus Hurwitz offers two explanations for the Federal Aviation Administration system outage, which grounded planes across the country. There's the official version and the conspiracy theory, as with everything else these days. Nick breaks down the latest cryptocurrency failure; this time it's Genesis. Nick's not a fan of this prepackaged bankruptcy. And Gus and I puzzle over the Federal Trade Commission's determination to write regulations to outlaw most non-compete clauses. Justin Sherman, a first-timer on the podcast, covers recent research showing that alleged Russian social media interference had no meaningful effect on the 2016 election. That spurs an outburst from me about the cynical scam that was the “Russia, Russia, Russia” narrative—a kind of 2016 election denial for which the press and the left have never apologized. Nick explains the looming impact of Twitter's interest payment obligation. We're going to learn a lot more about Elon Musk's business plans from how he deals with that crisis than from anything he's tweeted in recent months. It does not get more cyberlawyerly than a case the Supreme Court will be taking up this term—Gonzalez v. Google. This case will put Section 230 squarely on the Court's docket, and the amicus briefs can be measured by the shovelful. The issue is whether YouTube's recommendation of terrorist videos can ever lead to liability—or whether any judgment is barred by Section 230. Gus and I are on different sides of that question, but we agree that this is going to be a hot case, a divided Court, and a big deal. And, just to show that our foray into cyberlaw was no fluke, Gus and I also predict that the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is going to strike down the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, also known as FOSTA-SESTA—the legislative exception to Section 230 that civil society loves to hate. Its prohibition on promotion of prostitution may fall to first amendment fears on the court, but the practical impact of the law may remain. Next, Justin gives us a quick primer on the national security reasons for regulation of submarine cables. Nick covers the leak of the terror watchlist thanks to an commuter airline's sloppy security. Justin explains TikTok's latest charm offensive in Washington. Finally, I provide an update on the UK's online safety bill, which just keeps getting tougher, from criminal penalties, to “ten percent of revenue” fines, to mandating age checks that may fail technically or drive away users, or both. And I review the latest theatrical offering from Madison Square Garden—“The Revenge of the Lawyers.” You may root for the snake or for the scorpions, but you will not want to miss it.

Mailbag Bonanza! Send stuff to: EEVblog Mailbag PO Box 7949 Norwest NSW 2153 AUSTRALIA Forum: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-1516-mailbag-bonanza!/ 00:00 – Mailbag Bonanza! 02:24 – Australian Signals Directorate 75th Aniversary 50 Cent Coin 05:07 – One-Shot Relay! 07:20 – Olight Torch Bonanza! https://www.olightstore.com.au/s/P7TWZN 08:20 – Olight Marauder 2 14,000 lumen torch 18:29 – Olight RN1500 Bike Light 23:02 ...

Australian Signals Directorate released coin with secret code to mark cyber-spy agency's 75th anniversary. R.Sathyanathan, a veteran broadcaster, explains the story. Produced by RaySel. - Australian Signals Directorate - ASD தனது 75ஆவது ஆண்டு நிறைவைக் கொண்டாடும் விதமாக Australian mint என்ற ‘ஆஸ்திரேலிய நாணய சாலை' சிறப்பு 50 சத நாணயமொன்றை வெளியிட்டிருக்கிறது. இந்த நாணயம் மற்ற நாணயங்களைவிட வித்தியாசமானது என்பதையும் இந்த நாணயத்தின் மீதுள்ள நான்கு அடுக்கு ரகசிய தகவல்கள் குறித்தும் விளக்குகிறார் பிரபல வானொலியாளர் இரா.சத்தியநாதன். அவரோடு உரையாடியவர்: றைசெல்.

Eric's back in the kitchen and the kids are back in school. Apple holds an event to #takeJonsMoney, and USB4 naming can get more complicated -- who knew? The IRS lets taxpayer data sit in the open for a year, and Facebook tweaked its URLs so the tracking parameters can't be removed by browsers. A 14 year old boy cracked the Australian Signals Directorate challenge coin in an hour, and rest in peace Peter Eckersley. Far too young. 0:00 - Intro 15:10 - Apple Event 21:47 - USB4 Version 2.0 SuperSpeed Gen 42 27:28 - IRS Data Exposure 31:01 - Facebook URL Scheme 36:39 - ASD Challenge Coin 39:25 - Thank You For Let's Encrypt

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, we bring you the third instalment of the Women in National Security mini-series, produced in collaboration with Accenture.In this episode of the National Security Podcast, hosts Gai Brodtmann, National Security College Futures Council member, and Meg Tapia, Principal Director for Defence and National Security at Accenture, are joined by Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and Deputy Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) Abigail Bradshaw CSC. Abigail explains the steps the ACSC has taken to achieve gender balance in their workforce and how they support working families. They also discuss her love of leadership and approach to helping others become amazing leaders themselves.Abigail Bradshaw CSC is the Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and Deputy Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD). She worked in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, most recently as the Deputy Coordinator of the National Bushfire Recovery Agency and prior to that as the head of the National Security Division.Gai Brodtmann is a member of ANU National Security College (NSC)'s Futures Council, having previously served as a diplomat, defence consultant, Member of Parliament, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence.Meg Tapia has 16 years of experience in national security and foreign policy. She served as a diplomat in Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan, and Vanuatu. Currently, Meg is Principal Director for Defence and National Security at Accenture.Find out more about the National Intelligence Community and National Security College Scholarships for Women, and careers at the Australian Signals Directorate and Australian Cyber Security Centre.All episodes of the Women in National Security mini-series are available here. We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gadens Partner Dudley Kneller talks about the expectations that Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and Australian Security and Investments Commission around cyber security and cyber resilience. Podcast Notes Australian Prudential Regulation Authority on CPS 234 Information Security: https://www.apra.gov.au/sites/default/files/cps_234_july_2019_for_public_release.pdf Australian Securities and Investments Commission on Cyber Resilience: https://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/digital-transformation/cyber-resilience/ RI Advice: https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2020-releases/20-191mr-asic-commences-proceedings-against-ri-advice-group-pty-ltd-for-alleged-failure-to-have-adequate-cyber-security-systems/ Australian Signals Directorate: https://www.asd.gov.au/ Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: https://www.oaic.gov.au/

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson, inaugural head of information warfare for the ADF, discuss the rapidly evolving domestic and global cyber security landscape. The pair begins by flagging risks associated with the rise in polarisation, alarmism and sensationalism in the cyber space. Tarrant and MAJGEN Thompson then discuss the importance of democratisation of information and openness in the industry, drawing on the Australian Signals Directorate's recent engagement strategy. The hosts go on to reflect on the Russia-Ukraine crisis – the potential outcome of the ongoing conflict, and Australia's contribution to Ukraine's resistance. The pair concludes by discussing opportunities to address skills and workforce shortages in the cyber space, drawing on MAJGEN Thompson's appearance on a panel discussion hosted by ParaFlare and Deloitte. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team

In this episode of the Cyber Security Uncut podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Marcus Thompson, inaugural head of information warfare for the ADF, discuss the rapidly evolving domestic and global cyber security landscape. The pair begins by flagging risks associated with the rise in polarisation, alarmism and sensationalism in the cyber space. Tarrant and MAJGEN Thompson then discuss the importance of democratisation of information and openness in the industry, drawing on the Australian Signals Directorate's recent engagement strategy. The hosts go on to reflect on the Russia-Ukraine crisis – the potential outcome of the ongoing conflict, and Australia's contribution to Ukraine's resistance. The pair concludes by discussing opportunities to address skills and workforce shortages in the cyber space, drawing on MAJGEN Thompson's appearance on a panel discussion hosted by ParaFlare and Deloitte. Enjoy the podcast, The Cyber Security Uncut team

Annika Smethurst is the state political editor at The Age newspaper in Melbourne. She is a double Walkley Award winner and has two Melbourne Quill Awards for political reporting. In 2019, Annika became the accidental poster woman for press freedom when her house was raided by the AFP over a story she wrote revealing a government plan to allow the Australian Signals Directorate to spy on Australians. In her 2020 essay, 'On Secrets', she explored the impact of the raids and examined the importance of press freedom. CHAT WITH US Join our discussion using hashtag #AnonymousWasAWomanPod and don't forget to follow Jamila (on Instagram and Twitter) and Astrid (also on Instagram and Twitter) to continue the conversation. This podcast is sponsored by Hachette Publishing and is brought to you by Future Women. The podcast is produced by Bad Producer Productions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode fifteen of ‘OzCyber Unlocked', host Michelle Price reflects on the topics of our past five episodes with retired MAJGEN Dr Marcus Thompson AM, a regular listener of this podcast. Among many things, Marcus runs his own advisory, Cyber Compass, is a strategic advisor at ParaFlare, a senior advisor to Macquarie Telecom Group, and a Director at Penten and Engineers Australia. He is also the immediate past and inaugural Head of Information Warfare for the Australian Defence Force.  Deliberately, the topics of our last several pods are topical for all Australian organisations. This includes insider threats, the Australian Government's Essential Eight mitigations for managing cyber risk, cyber threat intelligence, diversity in Australia's cyber workforce and careers and pathways in the cyber industry. Discussion traverses these topics as they relate to the various cyber-physical challenges currently faced by the economy, the impending critical infrastructure legislative changes, and the heightened awareness around cyber-attack methods including ransomware.This month, our cyber spotlight features Ben Whitham, Co-founder and General Manager at Penten. Founded in 2014, Penten is one of Australia's fastest growing and successful cyber security companies focused on innovation in secure mobility, applied artificial intelligence and tactical communications security.Useful links:Harmonised taxonomies of security and resilience: a suitable foundation for the security discipline (a thesis by Marcus Thompson): https://bit.ly/3zKGso0MITRE ATT&CK: https://attack.mitre.org/‘Australian organisations are quietly paying hackers millions in a 'tsunami of cyber crime' (James Purtill, 16 July, ABC Science): https://ab.co/3CTg4dVEssential Eight (Australian Government; Australian Signals Directorate): https://bit.ly/3m0GlA0Penten: www.penten.comPenten's Export Commercialisation Playbook for Australian Cyber Startups (UK Edition): https://bit.ly/3EU0tfRCatch up on the past five episodes of ‘OzCyber Unlocked':Intentional or unintentional? The impact of insider threats: https://bit.ly/3ueW4ixThe Essential Eight – keeping your digital infrastructure secure: https://bit.ly/3lW2LCuCyber threat intelligence – a deep dive into why it matters: https://bit.ly/2ZEd4nr'Cyber shift' – how do we improve diversity & workplace culture to enact real change?: https://bit.ly/3m22bDhPathways into cyber security – how to plan, upskill and maximise career opportunities: https://bit.ly/2XTrJtJ

In this special episode of The Political Animals, host Jonathan Cole dons his cap as a former intelligence analyst to discuss the sobering lessons from the Afghanistan debacle. Jonathan worked at the Australian Signals Directorate 2007–2010 and as a Senior Terrorism Analyst at the Office of National Intelligence 2010–2014. His patch included terrorism across the whole of South Asia. Jonathan talks about the failure of the Afghanistan intervention and the wisdom and morality of military interventions per se from a realist perspective. He also shares his experience of visiting Kabul in 2011 and other trips to the region.

Australia's top security agencies have shone a light on a major cyber security attack attributed to China for the first time. Earlier this month, Australia joined the US, UK and the EU to attribute an attack on Microsoft Exchange servers to China. Addressing a parliamentary inquiry on Thursday, Australian Signals Directorate boss Rachel Noble said Beijing had crossed a line. “What happened … To describe it in plain language, it would be like houses and buildings had 14 locks on the doors. When the Chinese government became aware of those faulty locks on the doors, they went in and they propped all those doors open,” she said. “What then happened was there was an opportunity for all sorts of criminals, other state actors, you name it, to pour in behind all those propped open doors.” “It was that action, from a technical point of view, crossed a line.” With how Biden was talking recently, this could lead to very serious responses. Note some may find this content confronting.

Since the start of the pandemic, global digitization has accelerated at breakneck speed, and as we have seen in the news, cyber-attacks are impacting more and more businesses and individuals than ever before. This month, we ask how the Essential Eight is working for Australian organisations and discuss recent news that the federal government is set to mandate the Essential Eight cyber security controls for all 98 non-corporate Commonwealth entities. This comes four years after they were released as an evolution on the Top 4 mitigation strategies – the key strategies from the framework of 35 strategies developed as a leading set of practices by the Australian Signals Directorate over a decade ago.What does this mean for your organisation and cyber security readiness? How does this align with the other standards for cyber security practice and of course, cyber security regulations and legislation? Does the Essential Eight offer an approach to cyber security beyond government and large business? In episode thirteen of ‘OzCyber Unlocked', AustCyber's US Ecosystem Development Lead Michelle Mosey speaks to Suzy Clarke (Executive GM for Security at accounting software company Xero), Keith Howard (Group CISO at the Commonwealth Bank), Jennifer Stockwell (National Cyber Security Principal at Telstra) and Andrew Pade (General Manager Cyber Defence Operations at Commonwealth Bank and former Head of Cyber Security at the Reserve Bank of Australia).This month, our ‘cyber spotlight' features David Cottingham from Airlock Digital. Airlock Digital is an Australian cyber security company that enables you to easily create and manage secure allowlists, what you might know as whitelists. In the simplest of terms, Airlock's platform provides the management of programs and files on your allowlist – if it's not on the list, it will not run.For more information about the organisations featured, visit:Xero: www.xero.com.auXero on Air (Episode 14: A simple approach to cyber security): https://youtu.be/cEgBedteiAECommonwealth Bank: www.commbank.com.au/support/security.htmlTelstra: www.telstra.com.au/cyber-securityAirlock Digital: www.airlockdigital.com

The Australian Signals Directorate, our national spy agency, wants to see laws introduced to compel organisations to cooperate in the event of a hack or ransomware attack, after a recent incident saw a company refuse assistance and ultimately become reinfected within months of the first attack. ASD Director-General Rachel Noble told the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security that the unspecified incident was a nationally-known case with a nationally-known company that had serious implications, but even two weeks into the incident they would only take general advice from the ASD. Noble believes improved legislation would give them power to demand better cybersecurity standards in the corporate world, halting weak attacks so that the government only has to worry about high level threats.https://www.zdnet.com/article/nationally-known-australian-company-lawyered-up-to-resist-asd-help/Australia's transport union has accused Amazon of firing delivery drivers who spoke with union officials during a site inspection, and that further site visits have had union staff refused entry. In a Senate inquiry hearing last week, the union said it believes third-party Amazon Flex contract workers now fear reprisal for any public criticism of the tech giant's work standards or processes. The visit in question took place last year at a NSW distribution centre. Amazon told Innovation Aus that it has never terminated workers in connection with speaking to a union, and that it allowed dozens of union visits to its facilities in 2020. More widely, other unions have told the inquiry they feel Amazon is engaging in anti-union behaviour, a problem widely reported in recent years when its US workers made moves to unionise.https://www.innovationaus.com/amazon-workers-sacked-for-talking-to-union-twu/A Melbourne renewable energy company, AgBioEn, is working with La Trobe University and LAB3 to run trials for turning crop waste into bio diesels and jet-fuels, as well as into soil nutrients that can be ploughed back into fields to improve future crops. The trials are set to take place through the next three to four years, with an aim to produce 150 million litres of fuel per year through the process. On the technology side, LAB3 is assisting with the development of IoT devices and drones to test and monitor crops, with data and analytics running on Azure Cloud platforms. https://news.microsoft.com/en-au/features/agbioen-sparks-renewables-revolution-with-data-and-ai-injection/Australian DIY graphic design service Canva is teaming up with another Australian company, Snap Print and Design, to offer easy access to ordering prints through its platform from local Snap franchises. Options include business cards, brochures, stickers, posters and more. It's an interesting alternative to many other online print services that deliver from overseas or require designs to be uploaded in specific design formats that many average users may not understand, so seeing an end-to-end solution come together with such a partnership is a noteworthy option to see in the market.https://printonline.snap.com.auIKEA has officially unveiled its latest collaboration with networked speaker company Sonos, with the rather dazzling new Symfonisk wall art speakers that simply look like art but can push big sound for any room. The speakers can be hung on any wall, with a fabric cover that is available in a range of art designs to choose from, both simple and bold. Like any Sonos speaker, they can join your wider network of speakers around the home and are controlled via an app, with essential play-pause and volume controls hidden behind the frame on one edge. Sadly, the speakers are available in Europe and North America starting July 15 but will not come to Australia until 2022. US pricing was announced at $199 per speaker with alternate art options selling for $19. Locally you can buy the IKEA Symfonisk bookshelf speaker and table lamp speaker for $149 ... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to Bits, your daily tech news bulletin, for Monday, May 17, I'm Seamus Byrne.The Australian Signals Directorate, in response to Senate Estimates questions, has told parliament that it knows who was behind an attack on parliamentary email servers in March, but it is not saying who that was publicly as it feels that is a matter for the government. ASD said it was an unsophisticated attack, but that due to a lack of two-factor authentication on access it was more successful than it should have been. Users were forced to implement 2FA when they were allowed back into the system.https://www.zdnet.com/article/asd-knows-who-attacked-the-aph-email-system-but-isnt-revealing-who/eBay has announced it is closing its "adults only" section of the website in what it calls a move to enhance "safety" on the platform. The site maintained a dedicated section of the site as a home for such items, but this will end in one month's time. However, some exceptions are being carved out for sex toys and collectible magazines. The move continues a trend that makes it harder for sex-related content and services to find a place in legitimate marketplaces.https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kvb7z/ebay-is-banning-hentai-and-other-adult-contentRumours of Twitter launching a subscription service have been around for a long time, but now more details have been revealed by hidden feature hunter Jane Manchun Wong. The service is set to be called Twitter Blue, with a suggested price of US$2.99 per month. The paid service will offer features like Bookmark Collections, an Undo Send timer on tweets, and improved news reading experience. No word on timings or what other features may be included, but there's certainly no mention of that edit button many users crave.https://www.macrumors.com/2021/05/15/twitter-blue-subscription-service/A report by US non-profit organisation Center for Countering Hate has found that the vast majority of disinformation about vaccines and COVID on social media were distributed by just 12 people. An analysis of activity between the start of February and mid-March showed that 65% of anti-vaccine content on Twitter and 73% on Facebook originated with the same 12 people across a network of accounts they control. Despite repeated violations of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter rules, nine of the twelve remain active on the platforms.https://www.npr.org/2021/05/13/996570855/disinformation-dozen-test-facebooks-twitters-ability-to-curb-vaccine-hoaxesFrom the serious to the more entertaining, a security researcher has published proof of concept code for a major security flaw in a computer system that, thankfully, no one should be worried about. The flaw allows for arbitrary code to be executed on a 1967 design for a Universal Turing machine designed by the late Marvin Minsky. While the conceptual hack has the air of entertainment, researcher Pontus Johnson suggests it speaks to a fundamental question of security design – where in the design process does security enter the picture?https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/11/turing_machine_0day_no_patch_available/In videogames, the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival over the weekend offered a surprise for local fans, with news that an Oceanic data centre is set to open later this year. Launching seven years into the life of the game, such a server will see much improved latency and a potentially improved sense of local community for players from this region. No specific date was announced, but it is expected to launch ahead of the game's new expansion, Endwalker, which was given its launch date of November 23 this year.https://www.shacknews.com/article/124389/final-fantasy-14-adding-new-oceania-online-data-centerIn esports news, Pentanet.gg has struggled in the Rumble stage of the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational, with an 0-6 record over the weekend. Four games remain to be played and while it's still mathematically... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kip Boyle, CEO of Cyber Risk Opportunities, and Jake Bernstein, JD and Cybersecurity Practice Lead at Focal Law Group, do a quick review of the Essential Eight mitigations published by the Australian Signals Directorate.

Interview with Ben Frengley (Masters student, University of Melbourne) and Vanessa Teague (CEO, Thinking Cybersecurity Pty Ltd and the A/Prof (Adj.), Australian National University) Recorded 22 September 2020. Researcher notes can be sourced from https://www.thinkingcybersecurity.com/DigitalID/ ATO Response: An ‘ATO spokesperson’ provided the following points in response: ATO systems have not been compromised or hacked. The approach identified by the researchers, to scam a user by redirecting them to a malicious phishing website requesting credentials, is a well-known and common challenge across authentication systems and is not unique to the myGovID platform. This research is not disclosing a security vulnerability of the myGovID solution or application and this type of scam can be used against most existing credential types in the online sector including passwords, SMS, physical code generators and mobile apps codes The ATO takes IT security very seriously. We remind people to protect themselves online by ensuring to never click links in emails or SMS messages purporting to be from the ATO that ask you to log in and provide personal details. If people think their myGovID or other personal identifying information has been compromised, they should call the ATO’s dedicated hotline 1800 008 540. Examples of current scams are available at www.ato.gov.au/scam The ATO works with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) when phishing scams are detected or reported to initiate defensive action to minimise harm to the community. On background myGovID was built in accordance with the Trusted Digital Identity Framework (TDIF) which is based upon international standard OpenID Connect 1.0 and is consistent with the International Government Assurance Profile (iGov) for OpenID Connect 1.0 – Draft 02. Further information can be found in “TDIF: 06b – OpenID Connect 1.0 profile” As part of complying with the TDIF’s requirements, the ATO is assessed against Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) guidelines including the Protective Security Policy Framework and Information Security Manual controls. Prior to releasing myGovID the ATO undertook extensive assurance assessments, including: o Multiple rounds of security penetration testing by ATO internal security teams. o Multiple rounds of security penetration testing by an independent external assessor. o Independent Information Security Registered Assessors program (IRAP) assessment. o Independent Privacy Impact Assessment. ATO continuously tests and assesses the security risk for myGovID and prioritises improvements where appropriate, any indication by a third party that ATO refuses to address security vulnerabilities is not accurate myGovID represents an improvement over other credential types in this scenario. As no password is required within the browser the scammer has not harvested any part of the credential that could be used in a later attack. In most other credential types, the scammer would learn of the user’s password. As scams are a common problem across the community when interacting online (e.g. banking, shopping, utilities, government) the ATO provides advice on how to stay safe online https://www.ato.gov.au/general/online-services/online-security/   ____________________________________________ Researcher notes - sourced from https://www.thinkingcybersecurity.com/DigitalID/ Summary We explain a replay attack on the Australian Tax Office's myGovID scheme. When a user tries to use the myGovID scheme to log in to a website under the attacker's control, the attacker can immediately log in as the user via myGovID at any other site. The attack relies on the malicious site's ability to replay the 4-digit code that the myGovID scheme displays. Although the attack is visible to a vigilant user who knows the protocol, we believe that most ordinary users' logins would be successfully hijacked. At the server side, the login would be indistinguishable from a legitimate login from the user, so the attack is impossible to detect (excluding surveillance-based detection by device fingerprinting, login location, etc). This video shows nontechnical users how to protect themselves. Attack scenario Suppose Alice wants to log in to nottrustworthy.com, using myGovID. In the language of the Trusted Digital Identity Framework, nottrustworthy.com is the relying party (RP), Alice is the user, the ATO provides the Identity Exchange (IdX), and myGovID is the (sole) Identity Provider (IP). The myGovID system uses a client app that Alice runs on her phone. nottrustworthy.com does not need to be an authentic RP integrated with myGovID; instead, it only needs to appear to Alice as if she can log into it using myGovID. The adversary controls nottrustworthy.com and wishes to log in fraudulently, as Alice, at some other site, which we will call AlicesTaxService.gov.au. Assume AlicesTaxService.gov.au is an authentic RP in the myGovID system, such that users can use myGovID to log in. We assume that Alice already has the myGovID app installed and is somewhat familiar with its use but not an expert in its trust assumptions. Attack details The adversary edits the web page at nottrustworthy.com to present a fake button inviting users to log in with myGovID. (It is easy to copy a button that perfectly resembles the real one.) Instead of honestly redirecting users to mygovid.gov.au, the adversary makes up a frame or page on their own website that resembles a myGovID login and asks for the user's email. Again, this could perfectly copy the real myGovID site and say "Login with your myGovID to continue." A diligent user who knows this should come from https://mygovid.gov.au can detect this, but unless Alice knows exactly how the protocol works there is nothing suspicious about an email address request from a website she intended to interact with. The attack proceeds as follows. When Alice enters her email, the attacker (either by hand or in an automated way) goes to AlicesTaxService.gov.au, clicks on 'Log in with myGovID,' waits for the (honest) redirect to mygovid.gov.au, and enters Alice's email address. The myGovID system displays a 4-digit code, intended for Alice, on the mygovid.gov.au page that the adversary is reading. The attacker reads the code and replays it to Alice, on the page at nottrustworthy.com that Alice is looking at, in a way that makes it appear to be a legitimate code from myGovID. Alice reads the code and enters it into her app when requested. The attacker will now be logged in to AlicesTaxService.gov.au as Alice. In order to hide the attack completely from Alice, the attacker could show Alice a successful login at nottrustworthy.com. The crucial design flaw is that when Alice's myGovID app receives an authorisation request and invites Alice to enter her 4-digit code, there is nothing in the app's user interface that tells her the name of the entity (RP) seeking authorisation. Alice thinks that she is consenting to log in to nottrustworthy.com. However, the myGovID system (both the IdX and the IP) are conveying the attacker's authorisation request from AlicesTaxService.gov.au. Analysis of impact This attack is detectable by a diligent user who understands the protocol well enough to know that they should only accept 4-digit codes from mygovid.gov.au (and knows how to check for TLS). However we believe that there are very few users in this category, because it is a counter-intuitive protocol designed to reverse the information flow relative to what users are accustomed to. Users are generally told (from primary school) always to check carefully that they are visiting the right website when they are about to enter their login credentials. In practice maybe they do not always do this well, and most people don't know how to check for TLS, but browsers are getting better at this - for example, Firefox and Chrome both now warn when the user visits a not-TLS-protected site, or when a login and password is solicited in a way that seems suspicious. Common email clients warn when a link does not go where it looks like it goes. So most browsers and email clients put reasonable effort into thwarting the most obvious attacks on the traditional password-based information flow. This is imperfect but at least most educated people (including primary school children) are somewhat aware of the problem. The myGovID system aims to alleviate this problem (we assume) by reversing the information flow, so users never enter their password or 4-digit code into anything except their app. This is a noble goal, but the implementation introduces another equivalent problem. The main reason this is worse than the standard redirect-to-fake-login-site attack is that the information flow is so counter-intuitive and non-standard that users are much less likely to notice - we all know we are not supposed to enter credentials into websites we do not trust, but we have no intuition about whether we are supposed to enter a number from a website we semi-trust into an app we trust. Also none of the browser-based defences against the redirect-to-fake-login attack would work against this attack. There is nothing intuitively suspicious about getting a 4-digit code from a website you were trying to log in to, when that is standard in the typical authentication process when using myGovID. The user trusts the app, so the fact that they receive a notification from the app about the login may even alleviate their concern. A particularly knowledgeable user may notice that the code does not come from https://mygovid.gov.au, but otherwise there is nothing suspicious: neither the notification nor the code entry in the app provide any indication of which website the code applies to. Even in normal circumstances, the myGovID protocol can be confusing to the user — starting an authentication process at an RP, abandoning it at code entry, and starting a new authentication process at the same RP (e.g., by getting to the code entry page then clicking the Cancel button, then entering the same email) results in an invalid code entry popup in the app, which when closed will immediately yield another, totally indistinguishable, code entry popup, which this time is valid. In that scenario both code entry popups are honest and correspond to authentic login requests at a registered and trusted RP. However, they are entirely indistinguishable: nothing indicates to the user which RP they are from, when the login was initiated or that the first code entry popup is no longer valid and that there is a second popup awaiting user attention. Entering the code from the second login attempt at the first code entry popup yields a cryptic "Something is wrong with the code. Try again," error message with no indication of what the error is and no reason for the user to expect an error to occur. This kind of confusing user experience teaches even normally vigilant users to ignore things that might otherwise seem odd, and myGovID's lack of context for login requests exacerbates this issue, which makes this attack more concerning. Mitigations and their impact Short term - for users Users are advised not to use the myGovID system until the protocol is patched. If use of the myGovID system is unavoidable, each user should check diligently that the 4-digit code they are about to enter comes from a TLS-protected URL at https://mygovid.gov.au. This unlikely to work in practice for most users, who will struggle to recognise a secure website with the right URL. Short term - for government Even if all users carefully perform the check above, a randomised version of the same attack could still be attempted: the malicious website faithfully (but with a small delay) passes the user on to the real mygovid.gov.au login site, while more quickly trying to log on as that user elsewhere. Unless there are careful protections in place to ensure that the 4-digit codes are never the same, there is a chance of 1/10,000 that the codes will match, higher if we assume an opportunity for a few guesses. Without having seen the code generation algorithm, we cannot tell whether such a mitigation is in place or not, but if not it should be added urgently. The app should also be updated immediately with the following simple mitigation: When an authentication request is received, tell the user what website is requesting it. Technically, this is incompatible with the stated goals of the Trusted Digital Identify Framework, in which the Identity Exchange (provided by auth.ato.gov.au in our example) obscures the identity of the Relying Party (nottrustworthy.com in our example) from the Identity Provider (myGovID in our example). However, the ATO's Identity Exchange leaks the RP's identity to myGovID via the HTTP Referer header, so this information is already available and can be used as a mitigation. Hiding the RP's identity from the app seems to be a very low priority goal compared with preventing fraudulent logins. Attempting to certify trustworthy RPs would not help unless users have an simple way of checking who has been certified that can be easily included in a typical authentication process. Long term In the long run, the TDIF and all its current implementations should be deprecated and replaced with an open standard such as OpenID Connect or a protocol modelled on that of a nation with an existing secure public key infrastructure such as Belgium or Estonia. The implementation and design documentation should be openly available to the Australian public to allow for the identification and responsible disclosure of other vulnerabilities. We have no reason to believe that this is the only, or the worst, vulnerability in this system. Its complex nature and the desire to hide information makes enforcing and validating correct, secure behaviour close to impossible. Responsible disclosure history This problem was disclosed on 19th August 2020 to the Australian Signals Directorate, with an indicative expectation of a 90-day disclosure period. ASD communicated it to the ATO. At a meeting on 18th September 2020, ATO told us they did not intend to change the protocol, at which point we immediately informed them that we would make a warning to users public on Monday 21st September. Acknowledgements Thanks to Rod Teague and Andrew Conway for their help. Thanks also to Yaakov Smith for helpful review of this work. Usage and Contacts You are welcome to quote or reuse this material as long as you credit the original source. Email contact: bfrengley [at] student.unimelb.edu.au or vanessa [at] thinkingcybersecurity.com  

There’s growing concern about foreign powers spying on Australian citizens.    Luke Grant spoke with Head of Security at 6clicks and cybersecurity expert Andrew Robinson on Australia Overnight.    Andrew has previously been involved with the Australian Signals Directorate and told Luke Australia needs to be more and more aware of cyber surveillance and attacks on personal data.   Listen to the full interview. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this National Security Podcast, Head of National Security College Professor Rory Medcalf speaks with Ms Rachel Noble PSM, Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), about the history of signals intelligence in Australia, who ASD spies on and why, and adapting to new security threats.Signals intelligence has been an element of national security operations for as long as there has been warfare and competition. But how does an agency raised out of the Second World War adapt to the modern national security landscape? Has cybersecurity fundamentally altered the nature of Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)'s focus on intelligence collection and information protection? And with threats to Australia’s security emanating not only from international actors but also from Australians, at home and abroad, what role does ASD play in conducting surveillance on Australian citizens and where are the oversights to ensure that laws and personal privacies are not breached? As the second instalment in the National Security College’s 10th Anniversary series Head of College Professor Rory Medcalf talks to Ms Rachel Noble about these matters and more on this episode of the National Security Podcast.Ms Rachel Noble PSM is Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate. Prior to this, Rachel was the Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre.Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mark Kenny talks with Annika Smethurst about the police raid that changed her life and her new essay, On Secrets.On 4 June 2019, Federal Police raided the home of Walkley award-winning journalist Annika Smethurst, changing her life forever. Smethurst was expecting a cleaner - instead it was the federal police with a warrant. Five of them turned her place inside out, including going through her underwear drawer. In this special Democracy Sausage Professor Mark Kenny speaks to Annika Smethurst about the raid, its impact on her personally and professionally, and her new essay, On Secrets. A year before the raid, Smethurst had written an article about a proposal to allow the Australian Signals Directorate to spy on Australians. The AFP was investigating the possibility of the communication of classified material. Smethurst became the accidental poster woman for press freedom with her employer calling it a 'dangerous act of intimidation'. On April 15 2020, the High Court ruled the warrant invalid and on 27 May 2020 the AFP announced that Smethurst would not be charged over her stories that "... relied on classified intelligence documents". But the impact of the ordeal remains, and Smethurst joins us in this episode to discuss the raid that changed her life, and its implications for journalists all over the country. This discussion was recorded as part of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author series.Annika Smethurst is National Political Editor for the Sunday News Corp mastheads The Herald Sun, news.com.au, The Daily Telegraph and The Courier-Mail. She is also a Director on the Board of the National Press Club.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Allan and Darren begin this episode with Australia’s response to the novel coronavirus, including the government’s efforts to evacuate Australians from Wuhan, the decision not to charge evacuees, and the decision to the bar entry into Australia of foreigners who have been in or travelled through China. Darren then wonders whether the variation across countries in the response to the virus—notably the hostility of Cambodia’s Prime Minister to wearing masks—is connected to China’s influence. Next up is the UK’s decision to allow Huawei to participate in the country’s 5G network. Given Australia came to the opposite position, Allan grapples with the fact that he knows and trusts the judgments of individuals involved with both decisions. Darren asks whether there is much precedent for the inventions by four Australian MPs into the UK debate, or the recent piece by former Australian Signals Directorate senior official Simeon Gilding expressing disappointment with the UK’s decision. What’s the path forward now for Australia? Allan and Darren do not entirely agree. The discussion moves to trade. Now that the Trump administration has neutered the World Trade Organisation’s appellate body by blocking the appointment of new judges, what’s next for the WTO? One interesting possibility is the creation of parallel appellate structures that essentially replicate the WTO model and allow willing countries (including Australia) to prop up the WTO system while a more permanent set of reforms can (hopefully) be negotiated. Finally, Darren asks Allan about bilateral free trade agreements between Australia and both the UK and EU that are on the agenda for 2020. As always, we invite our listeners to email us at this address: australia.world.pod@gmail.com We welcome feedback, requests and suggestions. You can also contact Darren on twitter @limdarrenj Thanks to AIIA intern Isabel Hancock for research and audio editing, and Rory Stenning for composing our theme music.  Relevant links Jane Norman, “Coronavirus evacuees avoid $1,000 charge for flight from China after Federal Government backs down”, ABC News, 2 February 2020: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-02/government-blames-dfat-for-coronavirus-charge-mix-up/11921846 Hannah Beach, “Quieter response to coronavirus in countries where China holds sway”. New York Times, 2 February 2020: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/02/world/asia/china-coronavirus-philippines-thailand.html Latika Bourke, “Four Australian MPs urge Britain to ban Huawei”, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 January 2020: https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/four-australian-mps-urge-britain-to-ban-huawei-20200124-p53u9x.html Simeon Gilding, “5G choices: a pivotal moment in world affairs”, ASPI Strategist, 28 January: https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/5g-choices-a-pivotal-moment-in-world-affairs/ Andrew Tillett and Hans van Leeuwen, “Australian warning over Trump’s WTO bear hug”, Australian Financial Review, 24 January 2020: https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/australian-warning-over-trump-s-wto-bear-hug-20200123-p53u4h Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes, The light that failed: A reckoning, https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/308/308740/the-light-that-failed/9780241345702.html Scholar’s Stage, “Public intellectuals have short shelf lives—But why?”, 29 January 2020: https://scholars-stage.blogspot.com/2020/01/why-public-intellectuals-have-short.html Tyler Cowen, “How public intellectuals can extend their shelf lives”, 6 February 2020: https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2020/02/how-public-intellectuals-can-extend-their-shelf-lives.html Kristen Roupenian, “Cat person”, The New Yorker, 4 December 2017: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/cat-person

In this episode, I go over Media restrictions, but also the responsibilities of reporting fairly and accurately using Trump as an example), and the need for Free Speech in a healthy democracy. The Sydney Morning Herald covered some background... Media organisations in Australia have long been concerned about threats to journalism, but the issue exploded into the public consciousness following two consecutive police raids earlier this year. On June 4, police conducted a six-hour raid on the home of News Corp political journalist Annika Smethurst over an April 2018 story. The story had revealed a proposal for electronic intelligence agency the Australian Signals Directorate to take on an expanded domestic role and that figures inside government were concerned about the idea. On June 5, as part of a separate leak investigation, police raided the Sydney headquarters of the ABC over a 2017 series on accusations of war crimes committed by Australia’s special forces in Afghanistan. The warrant named multiple ABC journalists responsible for the reporting. A week earlier, a former military lawyer was committed to stand trial over the leak of documents to the ABC. Reporters Without Borders ranked Australia as 21st in the world for press freedom in 2019, dropping two places since last year. The international organisation has warned that investigative journalism is under threat from “draconian” laws. Another global watchdog, Freedom House, has warned of a troubling trend in Australia despite a strong democratic history. Constitutional lawyer George Williams has pointed to the approximately 75 rounds of national security legislation that have been passed by the Parliament since September 11, 2001. He says the scale of this legislation far exceeds comparable democracies and have significantly heightened secrecy and restrictions on press freedom. To read more, visit the original article here - https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-culture-of-secrecy-what-is-the-right-to-know-campaign-about-20191018-p5323v.html I also raise once again Australia has nothing written in the constitution pretecting free speech - https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/rights-and-freedoms/freedom-information-opinion-and-expression This episode contains material used for fair use commentary, criticism, and educational purposes. See Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015)

The Department of Home Affairs is pushing for new powers to allow the Australian Signals Directorate to embed in corporate computer systems. The changes are part of a transformation of the directorate – from a surveillance body to one that disrupts crime and other attacks onshore. Karen Middleton on the changing face of cyber war.Guest: Chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton. Background reading:Home Affairs pushes for cyber spy powers in The Saturday PaperThe Saturday PaperThe MonthlyFor more information on today’s episode, visit 7ampodcast.com.au. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What is going on in Australia? Eliza texted her Mum Geraldine with that question when she heard about the Australian Federal Police raiding a journalist Annika Smethurst's home in Canberra. The next day, another Police raid was executed at the ABC HQ in Sydney. Annika Smethurst's report in the Sunday Telegraph suggested Australia's surveillance agency, the Australian Signals Directorate, was seeking to broaden its powers to spy on Australian citizens without their knowledge. The ASD is meant to monitor actions overseas, not at home. The ABC report related to allegations of unlawful killings committed by Australian Special Forces soldiers in Afghanistan. Geraldine wants to know more about who called for the AFP raids and why. What concerns her most is that the warrant allowed for the deletion of files at the ABC, which is unprecedented. The incident has made Eliza re-evaluate her feelings about Julian Assange and his possible prosecution in the US. The women also discuss Geraldine's upcoming trip to Russia. Plastic surgery in Beirut. How to deal with summer holidays and some great movies on at the cinema in Australia. Shadow Attorney General Mark Dreyfus on RN Breakfast https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/mark-dreyfus-condemns-scott-morrison-for-waving-away-afp-raids/11184308 If you're not worried about the raids on the ABC, you should be: Waleed Aly https://www.smh.com.au/national/if-you-aren-t-worried-about-the-abc-raids-here-s-why-you-should-be-20190606-p51v0h.html NYT: Australia May Well Be the World's Most Secretive Democracy https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/05/world/australia/journalist-raids.html Sam Maiden interiews the Defence Whistleblower https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/06/06/defence-whistleblower-secret-trial/ Red Joan – Judi Dench https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Joan Absolutely Champers https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7807094/ Women at War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_at_War

The veil of secrecy has been drawn back on the activities of Australia's top cyber spies.The head of Australia's foreign intelligence and cyber security agency - the Australian Signals Directorate - has lifted the lid on some top-secret operations as he kick-starts a recruitment drive.Do you like hacking and can keep a secret?Australian Signals Directorate director general Mike Burgess says his agency may be for you.Please listen to the full report in Pashto langauge. - د اسټراليا استخباراتو وايي چې له انګليسي پرته د نورو ژبو ويونکو ته اړتيا لري ترڅو ددوی سايبري ماموريت برخه کې کار وکړي.د يو هيواد ملي امنيت ساتلو برخه کې د استخباراتو رول له ټولو مهمه دی ولې داچې استخباراتي فعاليتونه څنګه پر مخ وړل کيږي د اسټراليا د استخباراتو ادارې د بهرنيو څانګې مشر له يو لړ رازونو پرده پورته کړې او ددې يادو رازو بربنډولو ترڅنګ يې اسټراليا کې د نوو کسانو ګومارنې خبر هم ورکړی.تاسو ته مو يادې موضوع په اړه رپوټ برابر کړی، دلته بشپړ رپوټ واورئ.

Managing cash flow is one of the most important and challenging aspects of running a business, big or small. Too many Australian small businesses fail because of poor cash flow, and host Scott Haywood wants to help. John and Scott share tips on how to maximise cash flow in 2019 and beyond. Recently, the Australian government announced that the federal parliament had been hacked by a sophisticated state actor, and that's even with the might and power of the Australian Signals Directorate at their defence! Everybody must prioritise cyber safety, be it the federal parliament or your small business. Chris Gatford from Hacktive identifies the three biggest cybersecurity threats facing Aussie small businesses and shares tips on how to bolster your defences.  How do you communicate a price rise to your customers? That's the questioned posed in this week's Workwise segment, inspired by Woolworths' recent decision to increase the price of a household staple, milk. Professor Gary Mortimer from QUT's School of Business shares tips on the right way to let your customers know that the price of an item or service is increasing. Not too long ago, juice was limited to two options: apple or orange. Look at the juice aisle today and you'll see an endless array of flavours, from pressed carrot top with cloudy apple to leafy greens. Emma and Tom's 'look after yourself' philosophy helped them rise to become a major player in the juice game, and Peter Switzer analyses their growth.

Hosted by the ANU National Security College, the Women in National Security Conference is a forum on the participation of women in Australia’s future national security policy and practice. From data to deterrence, new technologies to counter-terrorism, Indo-Pacific strategy to the future of power, this sold-out conference will feature a range of expert speakers to challenge yesterday’s assumptions – and the National Security Podcast will be there to bring you the highlights. In this first episode, host Chris Farnham hears from Amy Roberts and Catherine Bridges about how Australia can secure its next generation of cyber experts. Amy Roberts is an Assistant Director with the Australian Signals Directorate. She manages the Government’s Cyber Security Challenge Australia, the largest national tertiary ‘hacking’ competition, in partnership with the corporate sector and academia, to identify the next generation of cyber talent. Catherine Bridges is Cyber Advisor at the ANU National Security College, on secondment from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Her career has included roles in policy development, implementation and advice, legal analysis and advice and stakeholder engagement across several government agencies including the Attorney-General’s Department, Defence and Prime Minister and Cabinet. Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the National Security College in June 2015 as Policy and Events Officer. His career focus has been on geopolitics with experience working in and out of China for a number of years as well as operating in Australia and Southeast Asia. Shownotes | The following were referred to in this podcast: Cyber Security Challenges Australia – the country's largest tertiary ‘hacking’ competition, run by an alliance of Australian Government, business and academic professionals. Corporate partners include Telstra, PwC, Splunk, Microsoft, and BAE Systems. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Felicity Ruby has, to say the least, an impressive resume. The former director of the United Nations’ Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, a former senior communications adviser to Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, a founder of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, an organisation which received last year's Nobel Peace Prize, Ruby is currently working on a PhD at Sydney University, on the topic of political movements resisting mass surveillance. Alex Whisson caught up with Felicity to discuss Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton’s proposed expansion of domestic intelligence gathering powers. Felicity began by addressing the question of the Australian Signals Directorate, the highly secretive government agency, which has historically gathered intelligence overseas.

Customers around the world strive to maintain a high security posture. But how is this best achieved? The Australian Signals Directorate recommends the “Essential 8” mitigation strategies that organisations should apply. Simon is joined by John Hildebrandt, AWS Principal Solutions Architect, to discuss his recent blog post that shows you how you can implement these mitigations using AWS in new and efficient ways. Shownotes: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/publicsector/aws-and-the-australian-signals-directorate-essential-eight https://aws.amazon.com/security/

In  today's podcast, we hear about how ISIS is making its way, quietly, back into the cyber news (and how the Australian Signals Directorate is on the case). The Broadband Internet Technology Advisory Group wants the IoT industry to face some unpleasant facts, and the security industry calls for standards. Europol finishes its second sweep of money mules. ATM jackpotting spreads in Europe and Asia. India suffers a wave of carding. Joe Carrigan from the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute reports back from the NICE Conference. BBC Journalist and Author Gordon Corera is our guest, discussing his latest book, "Cyber Spies - The secret history of surveillance, hacking and digital espionage." And security experts warn us all to be cyber savvy on Black Friday.

The Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security with the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) gives his first on-record media interview in that role. Continue reading →

The Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security with the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) gives his first on-record media interview in that role. Continue reading →