{"id":43106,"date":"2018-10-30T11:01:26","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T00:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/?p=43106"},"modified":"2018-10-30T17:17:54","modified_gmt":"2018-10-30T06:17:54","slug":"asd-moves-into-the-light-with-landmark-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/asd-moves-into-the-light-with-landmark-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"ASD moves into the light with landmark speech"},"content":{"rendered":"
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So, 71 years after its creation, the Australian Signals Directorate has stepped out of the shadows. Last night ASD Director-General Mike Burgess gave probably the most broad-ranging public outline of the work of a modern, high-end cyber organisation that we have seen internationally.<\/p>\n

Burgess has joined the head of the UK\u2019s Government Communications Headquarters, or GCHQ, in having a public presence and role.<\/p>\n

There are two extraordinary things about this in the Australian environment: the first is that the head of the normally very secretive signals directorate has spoken publicly outside a parliamentary committee at all. The second is what he said.<\/p>\n

Beginning to give ASD a voice in public debates is a big thing. But it\u2019s important if Australia is to effectively manage the wide range of cybersecurity, technology and intelligence issues ASD is involved in.<\/p>\n

ASD now has a very broad mandate.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s still about supporting the Australian Defence Force on operations, obtaining intelligence by collecting foreign communications and signals, being part of counterterrorism operations to prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks against Australians and Australian interests, securing government networks and information, and conducting offensive cyber operations.<\/p>\n

In its new incarnation as an independent statutory agency within the defence portfolio, though, ASD\u2019s mandate has broadened further\u2014it now also covers countering cyber espionage and serious cyber-enabled crime offshore\u2014and it has a clear role in providing cybersecurity assistance and advice to Australian businesses and citizens. This makes it relevant to many more Australians than ever before.<\/p>\n

This broad mandate may explain why Burgess has gone public about ASD\u2019s work. He knows that if ASD is to be a trusted, credible adviser to Australia\u2019s business sector and to the public, then he has to demystify the organisation and engage in the public discussion.<\/p>\n

Letting other stakeholders\u2014whether they\u2019re firms with cybersecurity products to sell or critics of government intelligence agencies\u2014determine the direction of discussion in the absence of ASD\u2019s perspectives doesn\u2019t advance informed public debate. The encryption legislation is one current example.<\/p>\n

Back to the speech itself<\/a>. Like many big speeches, this one will take time to digest and analyse, and we\u2019ll no doubt see a few informed commentators bringing out different elements covered by Burgess over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n