Digital NSW 2025: National threat briefing: Digital security for maximum impact with Lt. McGuinness

In her address at the event, Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness CSC, National Cyber Security Coordinator, outlined how Australia is building a cyber-resilient future through strategy, shared responsibility and whole-of-nation collaboration.

The session set the tone for a conversation that moved beyond risk — into leadership, cultural change and national preparedness.

“Cybersecurity is absolutely everyone’s business — a whole-of-nation endeavour.”
— Lt. Gen. Michelle McGuinness

Collaboration at the Core of National Resilience

McGuinness emphasised the importance of government, industry and academia working hand-in-hand. In a digital ecosystem defined by interdependence, she noted that trust and cooperation are no longer optional — they are foundational.

Events like this, she stressed, are opportunities not just to understand threats but to explore the technologies, policies and partnerships needed to stay ahead of them.

“No longer is cybersecurity just a technical issue… it’s a leadership issue, a resource issue, a risk issue — and a culture issue.”

She described the role of the National Office of Cyber Security (NOCS) in strengthening preparedness across government, business and citizens by coordinating prevention, response and recovery efforts. That includes national incident coordination, uplift programs, and driving delivery of the 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy.

The Australian Cyber Security Strategy: Six Shields for a Safer Nation

McGuinness reinforced the Strategy’s vision for Australia to become a world-leading cyber-secure nation. Its six interlocking “shields” serve as the backbone for government and national uplift:

• Strong businesses and citizens

• Safe technology

• World-class threat sharing and blocking

• Protected critical infrastructure

• Sovereign capability

• A resilient region and global leadership

These shields are deployed across three time-bound horizons, ensuring Australia can defend, respond, and bounce back from significant incidents.

The Reality Check: A High-Threat, High-Cost Landscape

The keynote underscored the urgency of uplift, backed by sobering national figures from the Australian Signals Directorate's latest annual threat report.

Key Metrics from ASD’s 2024–25 Findings

• 1 cyber incident is reported every 6 minutes

• 42,500+ calls to the Cyber Security Hotline

• 84,700+ reports of cybercrime in a single financial year

• $25.4B estimated cost to the Australian economy this year

• Projected to reach $215B over the next 10 years

• Significant cost increases across small, medium, large businesses and individuals

• Growing activity from state-sponsored cyber actors, many of whom maintain persistent access inside Australian networks

“These state actors sit on our networks waiting to disrupt, destroy, or degrade at a time of their choosing.”

The government, she emphasized, must set the standard. That includes maturing the Protective Security Policy Framework, improving threat sharing, defining systems of government significance, and prioritising critical functions.

Lessons from 100+ Significant Incidents 

Since taking on the role, McGuinness and her team have coordinated around 100 significant cyber incidents requiring whole-of-government action. From these, she shared essential learnings:

Key Lessons and Takeaways

• Preparation determines recovery speed — organisations that have rehearsed respond and recover dramatically faster.

• Relationships built early matter — trusted contacts and pre-established coordination pathways reduce chaos during an incident.

• Know your environment — data, networks, dependencies, and stakeholders must be understood before a crisis hits.

• Cybersecurity must be embedded across the organisation — not isolated within IT or “the people under the stairs.”

• Culture is the next frontier — strong cyber behaviors must become part of how agencies operate on a daily basis.

“Prepare, practice, and build trusted relationships ahead of time.”