The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has hosted its first international hacking exercise with members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Held in the ACSC’s Joint Cyber Security Centre in Perth, WA, the exercise attracted 10 ASEAN members to compete against their Australian counterparts to strengthen regional cyber defences and cooperation.
Head of the ACSC, Lieutenant General John J Frewen (pictured) congratulated the participants for completing the three-day program of simulated cyber incident response.
‘This is a unique opportunity for frontline cyber experts from our ASEAN neighbours to come to Australia, share knowledge, and test their skills with peers in real-time situations that reflect the growing complexity of our interconnected region,” LTGEN Frewen said.
“Events such as this play a significant role in growing cyber security resilience and stability in our region.”
He said the event was a first for Australia, ASEAN and Perth, and was part of the ACSC’s commitment to regional cyber uplift and building awareness of cyber security incident response capability.
“Sharing skills is integral to the mutual achievement of regional cyber security goals, enabling us to take advantage of the opportunities a safe cyberspace offers both Australia and the ASEAN group of economies,” LTGEN Frewen said.
“The group’s goals include promoting peace and stability in cyberspace, and guarding against growing online threats.”
The ACSC-ASEAN event was funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Cyber Cooperation Program, which works across the Indo-Pacific to promote a peaceful and stable online environment and improve cyber resilience.
