Credit: Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence
Australia’s Department of Defence has laid down $4.5 million in funding for technology companies and academics to design its cyber security future.
The federal agency has issued a call for submissions from industry, universities and other research agencies to collaborate on research and the creation of new defence systems over a three-year period.
Specifically, the department is seeking projects covering the following categories: cyber artificial intelligence and autonomy, the human element, trustworthy and resilient systems, situational awareness, mission assurance and threat counter-measures and effects.
Suppliers chosen will be required to enter into a research agreement contract either with Defence Science and Technology (DST) or the CSIRO’s Data61, which will include resources and financial injections.
“Defence aims to understand the potential of cyber technologies, create prototype systems, and demonstrate the practical application of systems to Defence problems,” the agency said in tender documents.
“The Cyber Theme seeks to inform Defence of the potential benefits and practical
limitations of cyber technologies through studies and demonstrator systems.”
The tender stressed Defence’s interests in cyber “differ substantially” from industry and enterprise cyber security.
Suppliers have until 16 February 2020 to submit proposals.
The call comes as the government undergoes a major cyber security consultation that first launched in 2016 and was later updated in 2017.
Earlier this month, the government released a report seeking feedback in order to prepare its cyber security strategy for 2020.
Feedback to this included criticism from IBM regarding the anti-encryption laws.
