Gatekeeper of cyber security

Victoria is one step closer to becoming one of the world’s top five cyber security powerhouses and Docklands is the headquarters of the hub. 

Data61 Cyber Security and Innovation Hub, a researching arm of the CSIRO, opened in Docklands’ Goods Shed in Collins St on October 6, with industry leaders and the Minister for Innovation Philip Dalidakis overseeing the launch of this world-class facility. 

Minister Dalidakis said the establishment of the hub meant the $450 billion global cyber crimes would be confronted.

“Victoria is going to play a big part in ensuring that we can have families confident and comfortable in both the digital economy and in accessing their computers,” he said. 

The launch of the technology hub has seen a dramatic transformation of the Goods Shed from a heritage building used as a railway freight shed to the now gatekeeper of cyber security in Australia. 

The cyber security industry has rapidly grown from a niche field to a $98 billion global market today and the value is expected to increase to $220 billion by 2020. 

The Data61 hub will focus on the resilience of infrastructure and risk-based analytics and will offer an appropriate level of security for people interacting online.

In addition to protecting the digital system against cyber crimes, Data61 is able to provide a wide range of practical services and activities, including the mapping of high bushfire alert areas and an e-health system.

Data61’s CEO Adrian Turner said the centre would facilitate the translation of research into the development of the industry. 

“Every sector of the Australian economy will be impacted by the move in data. The centre’s role is to accelerate the development of data-driven industries and the transformation of the existing ones and underpinning all of that to cyber security,” Mr Turner said.

Mr Turner said Australian internet users’ privacy would be protected in the data monitoring and analysis processes with Data61’s Confidential Computing, which analyses encrypted data without releasing the actual underlying data. 

The Data61 centre will create 140 jobs for the next three years, reflecting the prosperity of the ever-growing industry. 

Mr Dalidakis will visit Israel in December to discuss future trends in the cyber ecosystem.

Docklands is the central area for banking and finance industries, being the headquarters of several big names including Commonwealth, ANZ and NAB. With the arrival of Data61, Docklands will also be the centre for cyber technology and research in Victoria.