We need to act now. Cyber security touches the lives of every person in the country. Australia is an attractive target for cyber criminals; over the past year, millions of Australians have had their personal data stolen and released online. Emerging technology is changing our digital landscape, with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing creating new opportunities and challenges for cyber security. The stakes in protecting our people and businesses have never been higher. Cyber security presents rich opportunities for Australia. Cyber security is not just about defending ourselves against threats – it’s critical to support the rapid adoption of new technologies, boosting productivity and growing the digital economy. Cyber security presents a thriving and growing business opportunity for our country. An investment in our cyber security is an investment in our economic security. If we act quickly, Australia can take advantage of the opportunity to turbocharge our tech sector and create prosperity for our citizens. We can become a global leader in cyber technologies and be recognised as a top destination of choice for cyber talent. Our strategy will put Australia in the fast lane for cyber research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. By 2030, Australia can lead the cyber frontier. Australia is uniquely placed to capture this opportunity. Although there’s a lot of work to do, we are starting from a position of strength. Australia has an extensive track record of trailblazing legislative reform. From our workplace health and safety reforms to our tobacco plain packaging laws, Australia has continuously set global standards for public safety. But regulation is not the only solution – we’ve also got strong cyber offensive capabilities, led by the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Our world-class research and education institutions will allow Australia to become a global leader in cyber innovation. Our tech sector is growing rapidly, enabled by the Government’s once-in-a-generation reform of the migration system. We’re supported by our deep and trusted partnerships across the globe, including strong relationships with our regional neighbours, Quad and Five Eyes partners. We will deliver our strategy across three horizons. The journey to achieve our 2030 vision requires multiple phases of work and ongoing collaboration between the Government and industry to uplift our cyber maturity. We will deliver our strategy in three phases: • In Horizon 1 (2023–25): we will strengthen our foundations. We will address critical gaps in our cyber shields, build better protections for our most vulnerable citizens and businesses, and support improved cyber maturity uplift across our region. • In Horizon 2 (2026–28): we will scale cyber maturity across the whole economy. We will make further investments in the broader cyber ecosystem, continuing to scale up our cyber industry and grow a diverse cyber workforce. • In Horizon 3 (2029–30): we will advance the global frontier of cyber security. We will lead the development of emerging cyber technologies capable of adapting to new risks and opportunities across the cyber landscape. 8 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy