Industry

There are many excellent initiatives making a difference, in different ways, to different aspects of the cyber security industries of Australia and New Zealand. Ultimately, we're all trying to make a positive impact on the lives of people in both countries. 

Some of our favourites are:

Australia

• AWSN, the Australian Women in Security Network. The name says it all, but I believe that there is not another group/initiative in Australia doing as much to beneficially impact the culture in our security industry as AWSN. CISO Lens is a proud sponsor of AWSN. 

• The eSafety Commissioner. This government agency, unique in the world, is committed to helping all Australians have safe, positive experiences online. There are many resources for parents, security awareness specialists, teens, and women on this site. 

• IDcare,  From its website, "IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. We are a not-for-profit Australian charity that was formed to address a critical support gap for individuals confronting identity and cyber security concerns. This gap requires specialist Identity & Cyber Security Counsellors and Analysts that apply a human-centred approach to identity and cyber security. This means we place at the centre of everything we do the concerns and needs of the individual, not the technology or process."

New Zealand

• NetSafe. This is New Zealand’s independent, non-profit online safety organisation, and there are lots of resources here to help keep New Zealanders safe online. 

• CERT NZ. From its website, "CERT NZ works to support businesses, organisations and individuals who are affected (or may be affected) by cyber security incidents. We provide trusted and authoritative information and advice, while also collating a profile of the threat landscape in New Zealand."

Grassroots Events

Below are some key events and gatherings that are of great value to security practitioners. 

• Kawaiicon was back in 2022 was widely acknowledged as superb. (You can see Nadia's presentation here.) The folks at Kawaiicon have announced they're taking a haiatus, and we hope that they get the rest they need and this conference returns soon. 

• BSides gatherings are famous globally for excellent grassroots technical community gatherings. BSides Canberra has blazed the trail in Australia and in 2019 got more than 2,000 attendees.  BSides Sydney, BSides Brisbane, & BSides Perth are also gaining momentum. If you're technically inclined, or looking for sponsorship opportunities, these are definitely industry events to get involved in.  

• AWSN holds regular gatherings in all Australian capital cities.