Call for ‘vulnerable’ LG to become cyber-aware and resilient

Local governments are being encouraged to partner with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) to improve cyber resilience across the national economy.

The ACSC is the lead Commonwealth agency on efforts to enhance national cybersecurity.

In 2020, the centre’s ReportCyber online portal received around 57,000 cybercrime reports with losses of almost $357 million, with reports coming from businesses and individuals across every state and territory.

Reporting is voluntary, and the centre believes the real number of victims, and the impact cybercrime is having on the community, may be much higher than popularly supposed.

The centre warns that councils and shires – many of which provide critical and essential services like water and sewage – are not immune from cybercrime.

Moreover, they advise that the critical infrastructure sector is increasingly a target for state-based cyber actors in the changing global landscape.

By partnering with the ACSC through its Partnership Program, local governments can easily access relevant cybersecurity information or seek expert help and advice.