Current initiatives to address ransomware The Australian Government is progressing many lines of effort that combat ransomware, including a $1.67 billion investment over 10 years through Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy 2020 to build new cybersecurity and law enforcement capabilities, protect the essential services upon which we all depend, assist businesses to protect themselves and raise the community’s understanding of how to be secure online. The Government is: — — — — — Strengthening Australia’s capability to counter cybercrime through a $164.9 million investment (as part of the $1.67 billion), including $89.9 million to equip the Australian Federal Police with an additional 100 personnel to identify and target cybercriminals; Combining the expertise of foreign and domestic law enforcement and intelligence agencies to fight cybercrime through the expanded remit of the Australian Cyber Security Centre within the Australian Signals Directorate; Bolstering the powers of the Australian Federal Police and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to identify individuals and their networks engaging in serious criminal activity on the dark web, through the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021; Progressing legislation to uplift the security and resilience of Australia’s critical infrastructure, build our collective understanding of the threat environment, and ensure Government can assist industry in responding to cyber threats that are too sophisticated or disruptive to be handled alone; Developing the next National Plan to Combat Cybercrime, which will bring together the powers, capabilities, experience and intelligence of all jurisdictions to build a strong multi-faceted response to cybercrime harming Australia and Australians, consistent with the National Strategy to Fight Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime; RANSOMWARE ACTION PLAN — Helping businesses by providing technical cyber security advice from the Australian Cyber Security Centre on how to prepare for, and respond to, ransomware attacks; — Providing $6.1 million for support services through IDCARE to support Australians online, if they have been a victim of cybercrime (as part of the $1.67 billion); — Helping small and medium business improve their cyber security through the free Cyber Security Assessment Tool; — Improving the quality and quantity of skilled cyber security professionals through the Cyber Security National Workforce Growth Program, supporting businesses across the economy; — Launching the 2021 International Cyber and Critical Technology Engagement Strategy with $20.5 million to strengthen cyber and critical technology resilience in Southeast Asia and $17 million to boost capability, including fighting cybercrime, in the Pacific; and — Working collaboratively with international partners to address ransomware globally. The Australian Government does not condone the payment of ransoms to cybercriminals. Australia is, and must continue to remain, a hard target for ransomware gangs. Payment of a ransom does not guarantee the victim access to its system or data and puts other Australians at greater risk. 5