Funding Flows to Cyber Innovation

In mid-April, six of the 12 ICERA contracts that were announced were focused on creating innovative cyber security capabilities. Industry Competitive Evaluation Research Agreement (ICERA) is an industry engagement initiative.

The ICERA contracts will provide $36 million over six years, funded through Defence’s Next Generation Technologies Fund (NGTF). It aims to support smallto-medium businesses that are critical to enhancing Australia’s tactical and strategic edge as the nation’s strategic context continues to evolve.

SME Security Gap

About 40 per cent of businesses that apply to win Defence work have insufficient cyber security measures to meet Defence’s standards.

The Government has joined forces with Australia’s defence industry to develop a ‘go-to’ guide for small businesses on how to improve their security practices to help them win Defence work. The Working Securely with Defence guide is designed to help industry overcome those issues to become ‘Defence-ready’, in turn supporting the Government’s $270 billion investment in Defence capability over the next decade.

The percentage of businesses missing out on Defencework due to insufficient security measures has alreadyprompted Defence to focus on providing support toapplicants to improve their cyber security.

Over the past year Defence has helped more than 600companies improve their security through the DefenceIndustry Security Program (DISP).

The DISP supports Australian businesses to understandand meet their security obligations when engaging inDefence projects, contracts and tenders.

Defence currently has more than 230 companies inthe program.

The Working Securely with Defence guide can beaccessed from the Defence: https://www1.defence.gov.au/security/industry

Aircraftwoman Lauren Campbell (left) with Corporal Natalie Ekonomopoulos in a communications cabinet for cyber research and development systems at No. 462 Squadron.

Assess Your Cyber Security – Online Tool

An average of over 160 cyber security incidents arereported daily to the Australian Cyber Security Centre(ACSC).

The Australian Government has developed a CyberSecurity Assessment Tool to help businesses check howcyber secure their business is and what they can do tomake it more cyber secure. The tool is designed to:

• identify your business' cyber security strengths

• understand areas where your business can improve

• know how to improve your cyber security and whereto find help

It can be accessed via www.business.gov.au