Cyber attacks are a constant problem in today’s society. A hacker’s gonna hack, to bastardise a line from Taylor Swift’s popular song, Shake it Off.
At the Technology in Government conference, held in early August in Canberra, attendees learned more about cyber security in government. In particular, David Cullen, Principal Advisor of Cyber Incidents and Emergency Management at Department of Premier and Cabinet, Victoria, spoke of the alarming number of incidents in Victoria alone.
A whole-of-government survey showed that hackers were attempting to breach government systems every forty-five seconds1.
It would appear then, that we can’t seem to prevent hackers trying to steal information, finances and other important and necessary aspects in our tech-focussed lives. But, as Mr Cullen noted in his speech to conference delegates, the Victorian government has radically overhauled its approach to dealing with such threats and attacks. Mr Cullen has instigated a cyber-response team to help prevent incidents, and minimise the harm in the case of a breach.
Mr Cullen’s most impactful advice to delegates was to not ‘underestimate the power of phishing attacks.’2 It’s not something to take lightly or shy away from. And if a data breach does happen in your department or organisation, Mr Cullen advises honesty. Speak up, be honest, ask for help. And always keep communicating to your customers the ways they can protect their information online.
Data is an asset to both government sectors and private industry. What is your plan in the case of data breach? Tell us how you protect data within your asset management plan.