In Australia this week, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil outlined new plans to class telecommunications as ‘critical infrastructure’ for the first time under the Security for Critical Infrastructure Act (SOCI).
The move when it comes into force will heighten the cyber security requirements currently placed on the sector and introduce regular reporting requirements to show compliance.
Telecommunications firms are already subject to the Telecommunication Sector Security Reforms (TSSR) in Australia but the updates to SOCI reflect a broader strengthening of telecoms cyber security requirements across the globe, including through the UK Telecoms (Security) Act 2021 and the EU’s NIS2 Directive.
Chris Proctor, Telecoms Practice Associate Director at NCC Group shares his reaction to the news: “This development comes at a time when the spotlight is on the security of the critical national infrastructure as a whole and comes ahead of the imminent publication of a new Australian Cyber Security Strategy that will prioritise “protecting Australians’ access to critical infrastructure” as one of six “cyber shields” set to be introduced.
Globally societies are becoming ever more dependent on telecommunications networks and services as our world becomes ever more connected, whilst the sector faces an ever-increasing cyber threat landscape, which is why this is a positive move. It is reflective of a wider global movement focused on strengthening the sector’s cyber resilience and we look forward to learning more about the practical implementation.
Ultimately, better cyber risk management and incident response capabilities across the sector will ensure that organisations are able to react swiftly and consistently to cyber-attacks.
As further detail becomes apparent, impacted organisations must work to understand how the extension of SOCI will impact existing security programmes, what will be in and out of scope and how they can ensure compliance.”
To find out more and for guidance on how to navigate this ever-complex regulatory landscape: https://www.nccgroup.com/uk/campaign/critical-infrastructure-regulatory-compliance/