The Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture 2024: A Deep Dive into Australia’s Cyber Defense Measures
Overview
The Australian Government has shared its latest report for commonwealth cyber security. The Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture in 2024 report provides an essential update on the measures and progress related to cyber security across Australian Government entities. Tabled before the Australian Parliament, the report is a key tool for understanding the implementation and effectiveness of cyber security protocols for the 2023–24 financial year. As part of the government’s ongoing efforts to protect national security, public trust, and the economy, the Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture in 2024 highlights areas of improvement, challenges, and recommendations for enhancing Australia’s cyber defenses.
According to the report, the Australian Government consists of 1002 non-corporate Commonwealth entities (NCEs), 74 corporate Commonwealth entities (CCEs), and 16 Commonwealth companies (CCs), summing up to 190 government entities as of June 30, 2024. The report draws from the Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Cyber Security Survey for Commonwealth Entities, which revealed an impressive 94% participation rate in 2024—the highest to date. This marks an important step towards understanding and mitigating cyber security risks across Australian Government entities.
Cyber security is assessed in the report using three primary criteria:
- Cyber Security Hardening: The implementation of technical mitigations to reduce the likelihood of system compromises.
- Incident Preparedness and Response: The readiness and actions of entities when a cyber incident occurs.
- Leadership and Planning: The involvement of leadership in fostering a strong cyber security culture and ensuring the overall security of systems.
Key Findings of the Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture in 2024
The report illustrates that while substantial progress has been made, there are areas in need of improvement. One notable concern is the declining number of entities meeting Maturity Level 2 across the Essential Eight mitigation strategies. In 2024, only 15% of entities reached Maturity Level 2—a decrease from 25% in 2023.
The Essential Eight strategies, a set of cyber security practices developed by ASD, aim to reduce vulnerabilities and enhance cyber resilience across government systems. These strategies form the backbone of the Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture in 2024, and their implementation is a crucial factor in assessing the security posture of government agencies.
Despite this decline, there are encouraging signs of progress in certain areas. In 2024, 75% of entities had a cyber security strategy in place, an increase from 73% in 2023. Moreover, 86% of entities had incorporated cyber security disruptions into their business continuity and disaster recovery plans, a notable improvement from 83% in the previous year. These strategies are crucial for maintaining continuity of government services, ensuring that cyber threats do not derail essential functions.
Another positive development is that 88% of entities had a planned body of work to improve their cyber security, with 82% of these plans being funded. This reflects a proactive stance toward addressing vulnerabilities and strengthening security defenses. Furthermore, 86% of entities now have an incident response plan in place, an increase from 82% in 2023, signaling better preparedness to handle cyber threats when they arise.
Training and Workforce Development
The role of training and awareness in strengthening the Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture is also highlighted in the report. In 2024, 78% of government entities provided annual cyber security training to their workforce, maintaining the same percentage as in 2023. More encouragingly, the provision of privileged user training increased with 51% of entities offering this specialized training, up from 39% in 2023. This reflects the growing recognition of the critical need to educate personnel about advanced threats, such as phishing and unauthorized access attempts, which remain prevalent across government networks.
The presence of legacy IT systems remains a persistent challenge for the Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture. These outdated systems pose cyber security risks due to their vulnerability to modern cyberattacks. In April 2024, ASD published guidance on managing the risks of legacy IT, offering low-cost mitigations to help entities manage these risks alongside their current cyber security strategies.
Cyber security Incident Reporting and Supply Chain Risk
Despite the improvements in cyber security governance, there are still gaps in incident reporting. Only 32% of entities reported at least half of the cyber security incidents observed on their networks to ASD. This highlights a critical area for further improvement, as comprehensive incident reporting is important for identifying online threats and improving national cyber security resilience.
Supply chain risks also remain an important concern. In 2024, 74% of entities conducted supply chain risk assessments for applications, ICT equipment, and services, underscoring the importance of evaluating the security of third-party services and software that could pose risks to government systems.
Addressing the Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture Going Forward
To enhance Australia’s cyber security defenses, the report recommends that entities:
- Continue to implement the Essential Eight strategies across their networks to reach at least Maturity Level 2.
- Increase cyber security incident reporting and share cyber threat information with ASD to improve overall situational awareness.
- Implement strategies for managing legacy IT, ensuring that both old and new systems are protected against cyber threats.
- Maintain incident response plans and conduct exercises at least every two years to ensure readiness.
These recommendations are vital for building a more resilient Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture, ensuring that Australian Government entities are well-prepared to respond to the online threats.
Conclusion
The Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture in 2024 highlights both the progress and challenges in strengthening Australia’s cyber security defenses. The Essential Eight mitigation strategies continue to play an important role in reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing the resilience of government ICT systems. With updates to these strategies addressing cyber threats, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) remains at the forefront of protecting against increasingly sophisticated cyber adversaries.
While strides have been made, ongoing vigilance, collaboration, and the continuous refinement of cybers ecurity practices are crucial for protecting Australia’s critical infrastructure. Moving forward, the nation’s commitment to improving incident response, workforce training, and adopting best practices will be vital in overcoming the growing complexities of cyber threats, ensuring a secure and resilient digital future.
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