Australian-Govt. non-profit grants capital for national threat sharing project.
Australian company Cybermerc has won funding from independent AustCyber to build AUSHIELD DEFEND, a national threat sharing platform.The funding will come from AustCyber’s AU$15 million Project’s Fund (funded by the Australian Government).
AUSHIELD DEFEND will allow Australian businesses to collaborate and defend each other by using AUSHIELD to share information on the latest cyber threats.
It works by linking businesses together in a world first threat sharing platform. When any business is targeted by a new and unique cyber-attack, AUSHIELD updates the community, enabling collective defence against shared threats.
Matthew Nevin CEO and co-founder of Cybermerc said, the project is about building a community. “Right now Australian businesses are defending themselves in isolation,” he said. “We want them to collaborate. AUSHIELD provides an effective way to connect businesses so they can defend each other.”
According to Nevin, AUSHIELD also brings cyber security companies and Australian universities together. Universities can study new attack methods and inform next generation defensive technologies, to secure Australia’s digital border.
Michelle Price, CEO of AustCyber said the non-profit’s project funds is one of the key mechanisms used to identify and support cyber security through to commercialisation in Australia.
“The increasing reliance on technology because of COVID-19, and the subsequent rise in cyberattacks and cybercrime, has highlighted the importance of protecting our virtual infrastructure and digital information,” she said.
Joining Cybermerc on the project are the Australian National University (ANU); Vault Cloud; Anomali; and Australian start-ups SecureStack; and Countersight.
Dr Lesley Seebeck, CEO of the Cyber Institute at the ANU said the project will enable Australian cyber security companies, educators and researchers to further develop their technologies, it will inform educational programs and enable strategic research.
“Cyber now affects every facet of life, and it’s fantastic that companies like Cybermerc are working to build national capability and strengthen Australian cyber defences,” Dr she said. “The Cyber Institute is pleased to be collaborating with Cybermerc on this project.”
