This month, we look back at what has been one of the most challenging years on record. The pandemic and lockdowns dictated changes to our ways of working. On the upside, we all became more deeply connected to the cyber physical world around us. Unfortunately, it also meant greater risk from cyber criminals and foreign state actors.

In episode seventeen of ‘OzCyber Unlocked’, AustCyber’s CEO Michelle Price speaks to Hamish Hansford (Group Manager and Head of the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre at the Department of Home Affairs) and Chris Painter, (President of The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation) about how the speed of change has exposed new vulnerabilities; how we can protect our digital borders; the progression of critical infrastructure legislation; the ongoing cyber skills shortage in Australia, and the big trends that will have an impact on 2022 and beyond.

This month, our cyber spotlight features Vikrim Sharma (Founder and CEO of Quintessence Labs). In a world where data is too important to be compromised, Quintessence Labs delivers powerful data protection, enhanced by the quantum power of nature. This includes centralised enterprise key and policy management, a high-speed true random number generator, an integrated hardware security module, and highly secure encryption for data in uncontrolled environments.

For more information about the organisations featured, visit:

• Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre at the Department of Home Affairs: www.cisc.gov.au
• The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation: www.thegfce.org
• Quintessence Labs: www.quintessencelabs.com

Catch up previous episodes of ‘OzCyber Unlocked’ during the Christmas break:

• Under siege: Are we ready for a cyber attack on Australia’s hospital system?: https://bit.ly/3m5wv0E
• The state of Australian cyber – 2021 observations from retired MAJGEN Dr Marcus Thompson: https://bit.ly/3dOsU2y
• Intentional or unintentional? The impact of insider threats: https://bit.ly/3ueW4ix
• The Essential Eight – keeping your digital infrastructure secure: https://bit.ly/3lW2LCu
• Cyber 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/3m22bDh
• Pathways into cyber security – how to plan, upskill and maximise career opportunities: https://bit.ly/2XTrJtJ