30 Years 30 Stories

AusCERT 30 years 30 Stories – Brian Hay

Long term AusCERT Cyber Security Conference presenter and supporter Brian Hay, speaks of the importance and unique qualities of AusCERT. With a background in law enforcement within the Queensland Police, Brian now works with Cultural Cyber Security, a business whose mission is to build cyber security confidence across Australia. If you want to know why Brian wholeheartedly supports AusCERT – read on.

Working for Cultural Cyber Security, could you give us a brief history of your connection to AusCERT?

I’ve been coming to AusCERT Cyber Security Conference for what feels like most of my life. I can’t believe it’s been 30 years! Cultural Cyber Security was born out of a need for building cyber resilience across businesses, organisations, and within people themselves. I have 37 years of experience in law enforcement as a former Detective Superintendent for Queensland Police, giving me a wonderful association with AusCERT and an insight into how incredibly relevant the issue of cyber security is.

Q: What do you think is most significant about AusCERT?

AusCERT to me is about community, leadership and defining a difference that is meaningful for the communities of this great nation. If I had to define AusCERT in one word, it would be thought leadership because AusCERT brings together governments, law enforcement agencies, vendors, global brands and global speakers. The AusCERT conference is a brilliant forum for getting thought leaders in one location to stimulate thinking today, so we’re in a better place tomorrow.

How does the AusCERT Cyber Security Conference stand out from other conferences? 

When I look around at other events and I speak to a lot of people in different locations, not just in Australia but overseas, the difference is at AusCERT you know you’re part of a community.

To show you how powerful and what great allies they are, I contacted AusCERT back in my law enforcement days if I needed a website taken down. AusCERT could achieve it within 24 hours, as opposed to a formal process which could take weeks to achieve the same outcome.

Every member needs AusCERT as allies because we don’t know where our adversaries are and they constantly change. It’s AusCERT and the activities that AusCERT do with similar entities around the world, that are our best chance of defence.

Looking ahead, what do you think the future holds for AusCERT, and how do you see the organisation continuing to play a vital role in the cyber security community?

The cyber security community has many moving parts and lots of self-interest, but the beauty of AusCERT is that it’s not about self-interest. AusCERT is more about the interests of the greater Australian community.

When I look at other events, what I see is a focus on the vendor. Vendors are important, but what’s more important is the technology conversation. With AusCERT it’s about the technology, community, leadership and what’s coming next. It may involve technology, humanity, criminals and challenges we haven’t even thought of yet.

Why do you support AusCERT?

AusCERT provides a lot of support to organisations, and I’ve connected with them throughout my career. I’ve reached out to AusCERT to support people or entities who are not members and they do so without question. You know they’re not negotiating a contract or seeking a financial return; they are doing it because it’s simply the right thing to do.

In these ever-changing times, I have faith that integrity means something. When I think of AusCERT I think of integrity, leadership, collaboration, community, and future. Australia needs AusCERT and AusCERT needs Australia to support it because the future of our children rests in the hands of entities like AusCERT, its membership base and those who support it every year. The people in the cyber community are champions, and they need a platform to share their voice, which AusCERT provides brilliantly.