FINAL WORD
Reprioritizing cybersecurity in Australia ’ s national psyche
Dr Marcus Thompson , who has been appointed as senior advisor by Macquarie Telecom , believes cybersecurity needs to be reprioritized in Australia ’ s national psyche .
Major General ( retired ) Marcus Thompson
Macquarie Telecom Group has announced the appointment of former head of the Australian Defense Force ’ s Information Warfare Division , Major General ( retired ) Marcus Thompson AM PhD , as senior advisor within the company ’ s newly established federal government advisory board .
Dr Thompson joins Macquarie following a 34-year career in the Australian Defense Force , during which he was Defense ’ s inaugural Head of the Information Warfare Division ( IWD ), which coincided with Defense recognizing cyber as a battlefield domain for the first time .
Under Dr Thompson ’ s leadership the IWD defended Australia ’ s military assets and information from foreign cyberattacks , and the country ’ s defense cyber capabilities grew into a world class counter offensive cyberforce .
Speaking on his appointment , Dr Thompson said the decision to join Macquarie was fuelled by a desire to champion three causes close to his heart : prioritizing Australia ’ s national cybersecurity defense ; moving Australia ’ s digital supply chain onshore to protect Australia ’ s sovereign information ; and building Australia ’ s sovereign cyber capability to better support its cyberdefenses , stimulating national economic growth in the process .
“ Macquarie shares my view that cybersecurity needs to transform from a fleeting thought in the national psyche to an issue that is front and center with the private sector , government and the population at large . In my previous role I ’ ve seen firsthand just how important
cybersecurity is to every aspect of our society ,” Dr Thompson said .
“ The government ’ s Cybersecurity Strategy 2020 was a step in the right direction . It has put greater maturity into conversations about cybersecurity . Australia needs board members and executive teams to develop their expertise in cybersecurity further , and to cement cyber as a central business operational risk – one that ’ s mission critical to corporate planning .”
The appointment of Dr Thompson comes just weeks after then Home Affairs Minister and newly appointed Defense Minister Peter Dutton highlighted how cyberattacks against Australian businesses are on the rise . In March the Australian Federal Police also labelled 2021 the year of the cybercriminal , and the Australian Security Intelligence Organization ( ASIO ) shared its prediction that espionage by nation-state hackers will surpass terrorism as the biggest threat to Australian security by 2025 .
Evidence of regional tensions seeping into the online world has formed the basis of Dr Thompson ’ s rallying cry , that all levels of Australia ’ s digital supply chain can and should be resident in Australia .
“ The fact remains that most of the time we don ’ t know where our data is stored or who can access it . Much less the laws to which the companies storing and accessing it are subject ,” he said .
“ The risk this poses to our cybersecurity and data protection are very real . It necessitates the use of digital supply chain providers that are majority
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