O’Neil announces plans to protect healthcare industry from cybercrime
The federal government has announced a plan to combat threats to the Australian healthcare industry.
Home Affairs and Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neil stated that $6.4 million would be allocated to launching an Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC).
The center would connect industries and enable information sharing on cyber threats, as well as mitigation and response methods, among businesses, nonprofits, and government organizations.
“Cybercriminals know that all Australians rely on these essential services and cannot afford to be offline for long periods,” Minister O’Neil said.
“Healthcare providers hold highly sensitive data and often struggle to create and fund robust cyber protections.
“That’s why healthcare providers are one of the most common and damaging targets of cyberattacks. “This is a pattern we see all over the world.”
O’Neil added that similar information-sharing initiatives have worked in other sectors, such as banking and finance.
“Make no mistake, we expect Australian healthcare providers to step up and protect our citizens wherever possible. But the government also needs to lend a hand,” Minister O’Neil said.
“The last two years have been the beginning of a long-awaited, major national journey to improve cybersecurity across the country and better protect our citizens.”
In the future, the Labor government could expand the system to cover other sectors, such as critical infrastructure.
