The internet was not designed with security in mind.  People with malicious intent are taking full advantage of its openness to disrupt the activities of individuals, enterprises, and states.  It is assumed that the cyber attack on the Australian Parliament House in March came from a state-based actor.  There has also been a recent surge in cyber incidents in the healthcare sector. Cyber criminals understand that this sector is a vulnerable pressure point and hospitals hit by ransomware attacks have had to part with significant sums of money.  Nation states have also paid millions in ransomware attacks in 2021 alone.  With other forms of cybercrime, the stakes can be far higher.  Cyber attacks on military hardware such as unmanned aerial vehicles, could have decisive impacts on military engagements.  So clearly, cybersecurity has implications for international relations.

In this talk, Dr. Ahmed will focus on how easy it is to launch cyber attacks, Australia's stance on cyber security, and what individuals can do to ensure cyber safety.