ASD Calls For Unprecedented Powers To Halt Cyberattacks
An inquiry into the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill, has been told the Australian Signals Directorate needs wide-ranging powers to enable it to effectively manage the growing threat of cyberattack on Australian entities.
Spy agency chief Rachel Noble (pictured) has cited an unnamed company’s refusal to work with the government when responding to a cyberattack as evidence of the need for laws.
Under the legislation the ASD, which manages the Federal Government’s response to cyber incidents, would be able to intervene when an agency of private company experiences a cyberattack.
This would include going deep into a company’s IT system to plant anti-malware software and access telemetry to determine the extent and source of the attack.
Noble said in the past not all companies had complied with the requests for information by the ASD which negated the agency’s ability to resolve the issue, especially if they had a national impact.