OzTech: Secure internet policy revision; Cybersecurity spend rise continues; Machine learning and Mars meteorites; New IBM innovation centre | Computerworld

Australian government updating secure internet gateway policy

The Australian federal government is updating its secure internet gateway (SIG) policy to be consistent and support the implementation of cyberhubs. The effort will be headed by the Digital Transformation Agency with the help of Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).

Cyberhubs will centralise management and operations of agencies to strengthen the defences of government networks. A 12-month pilot started in July 2021 by the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Defence and Services Australia. Both departments are responsible for the design and implementation of their hubs to test core services.

The plan is that the cyberhubs will provide cybersecurity services, including SIG services to noncorporate Commonwealth entities.

The SIG policy will be updated to help Commonwealth entities to readily adopt new technologies and capabilities. This policy also represents the end of the ASD certification for commercial and government SIGs.

Enterprise growth in cybersecurity spending to continue through 2025

Australian enterprise spending on cybersecurity is expected to reach $4.7 billion in 2025, according to research firm GlobalData, which expects an annual growth of 6.7%. Key drivers of this growth include enterprise managed security service investments, rising demand for identity and access management, security intelligence, and management and endpoint security platforms.

One reason for the more immediate investment is the increased use of mobile devices for people working from home. In the long term, more sophisticated attacks will be the reasons behind the increasing investment in cybersecurity.

Spending on security software will see the fastest growth with a 6.5% annual growth expected up to 2025, GlobalData said. This will be a result of increasing demand for identity and access management, endpoint security, and security intelligence and management tools.

The lack of skilled professionals will lead to an increase the spending of managed security services, which will be the largest share of the overall enterprise security spending, GlobalData said.

Machine learning used to find Martian meteorites

Curtin University researchers used a machine learning algorithm that analyses high-resolution planetary images to identify the likely origin of a group of meteorites originating from Mars.

Researchers were able to compile a database of 90 million impact craters using the algorithm, which helped them find the potential launch position of the meteorites, likely to be the Tooting crater.

The algorithm can be retrained to perform automated digital mapping of any celestial body. Lead researcher Anthony Lagain said this could then be applied to Earth to assist with managing agriculture, the environment, and potentially natural disasters.

IBM to open innovation centre, create 300 jobs

IBM has announced an IBM Client Innovation Centre to be located in Bathurst, New South Wales. The centre is expected to create 300 jobs and will provide support to customers in data science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and hybrid cloud.

A partnership with Charles Sturt University will see scholarships offered to its students and work experience at the centre. IBM will also assist in the creation of courses, focused on the intersection of technology and business transformation for innovation.

IBM has a 25-year partnership with Federation University in regional Victoria which is similar to the newly announced one with Charles Sturt University. An economic impact report conducted by Western Research Institute found that the partnership contributed $629 million in economic value to the Victoria economy in 2018-2019 and that IBM’s presence delivered $124 million to the state’s gross product, plus 711 jobs and $62 million in household income.