About Us

AUSCERT

AUSCERT is one of Australia’s oldest and most trusted cyber security organisations, with a network of over 500 member organisations. As a not-for-profit organisation, AUSCERT provides unbiased support and expert recommendations. Offering a comprehensive range of services to help organisations prevent, detect, and respond to cyber security incidents. These services include Incident Support, Vulnerability Management, Threat Intelligence, Training and Education, and Governance, Risk, and Compliance. AUSCERT plays a crucial role in enhancing cyber security in Australia by partnering with organisations worldwide to monitor and assess threats and vulnerabilities for its members and the broader community.

Hosting one of the longest-running cyber security conferences, AUSCERT has established a globally recognised reputation for excellence and leadership in the field. This annual event brings together cyber security professionals, industry leaders, and experts from around the world to share knowledge, discuss emerging threats, and explore innovative solutions. The conference is designed to advance the cybersecurity industry by fostering a strong and engaged community, promoting collaboration, and encouraging the exchange of ideas.

AUSCERT’s secret weapon is it’s people and the strong culture that it has fostered for over 30 years. Joining as a member means you gain access to more than a service provider, but instead, a partner to stand shoulder-to-shoulder against cyber threats and digital warfare. Our existence is deeply intertwined with the pursuit of the greater good. Together, we’ll navigate the intricate cyber security realm and emerge stronger, fortified, and ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead. After all, we’re stronger together

Our History

Founded over 30 years ago as a not-for-profit organisation, AUSCERT began its journey in response to a pivotal event—a university student hacking into NASA during his spare time. This breach triggered a global chain reaction to strengthen information security, leading three Australian universities to join forces in the early 1990s to create AUSCERT, Australia’s central hub for information security and protection. Today, The University of Queensland (UQ) has embraced AUSCERT as part of its organisation.

Over the past three decades, AUSCERT has marked significant national and international milestones. AUSCERT quickly gained global recognition for its innovative and fearless work in cyber security, particularly in national incident response, vulnerability mitigation, and international coordination.

AUSCERT was instrumental in fostering early relationships among cyber security teams across the Asia-Pacific region, the US, and Europe. The organisation nurtured the development of cyber teams across the commercial, educational, and government sectors both in Australia and abroad. AUSCERT also sponsored teams into international communities like FIRST (Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams) and APCERT (Asia-Pacific CERT) and launched several ground-breaking initiatives to assist banks and law enforcement in combating cybercrime.

The organisation has introduced various pioneering services, including a national aggregated network log-parsing service that offers threat intelligence and early warnings of malicious activity, cybersecurity training for Australian law enforcement, and incident response team formation training for international organisations. AUSCERT also hosts the longest-running international cybersecurity conference in Australia.

AUSCERT has played a crucial role in maturing the global community of incident response teams, raising cybersecurity awareness throughout Australia, and acting as a liaison between national and international law enforcement, government, and the private sector. The organisation provided Australia’s first national incident response capability and has collaborated closely with IT product vendors to detect and mitigate exploitable vulnerabilities across various platforms and forums.