Jason Murrell

In light of recent significant cyberattacks on several major Australian organisations, the need for amplifying cyber security measures is more urgent than ever. A notable area of focus is diversifying the pool of cyber security professionals, which is currently dominated by men, holding 83% of the roles in the sector. Initiatives are underway to attract more women and First Nations Australians to the industry, with tailored educational and training programs. These programs, which are steering… Show more

In light of recent significant cyberattacks on several major Australian organisations, the need for amplifying cyber security measures is more urgent than ever. A notable area of focus is diversifying the pool of cyber security professionals, which is currently dominated by men, holding 83% of the roles in the sector. Initiatives are underway to attract more women and First Nations Australians to the industry, with tailored educational and training programs. These programs, which are steering away from traditional recruitment practices, aim to foster more inclusive learning environments and offer support through mentor networks. Jason Murrell, the group executive of the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network, emphasises the importance of nurturing homegrown talent to address the growing shortage of cyber security specialists, advocating for strategies that begin as early as primary school education. Collaborative efforts involving educational institutions and industry giants are also in place to further promote diversity and inclusivity in the digital sector. Show less

Hackers have continued to release the health records of hundreds of Medibank customers, including personal mental health records. Australia's Cyber Security Minister Clare O'Neil today promised to hunt down future hackers, at the launch of Australian Cyber Week.

On average, Australia is hit by a cyber attack every two minutes, with experts expecting the number to double in the next five years.

Jason Murrell, AustCyber Group Executive says, “We can do more. I don’t think we are doing enough to protect data. We have to have the conversations and work out what mechanisms we can put in place to protect data.

“The cyber criminal only needs to be right once. The company can protect themselves against a million things that might be known, but if… Show more

On average, Australia is hit by a cyber attack every two minutes, with experts expecting the number to double in the next five years.

Jason Murrell, AustCyber Group Executive says, “We can do more. I don’t think we are doing enough to protect data. We have to have the conversations and work out what mechanisms we can put in place to protect data.

“The cyber criminal only needs to be right once. The company can protect themselves against a million things that might be known, but if they get it wrong once from a defensive point of view, [the cyber criminals] are in. The big telcos and banks, they are getting peppered thousands of times a minute, it is constant.”

Murrell says that often when cyber security incidences happen, many companies go into shutdown mode and try to fix it “behind the curtains”.

“They don’t share any of the learnings. What we need is for companies to explain the lessons they learned and share that collectively so we all get better,” he says. Show less

Cybersecurity awareness should be second nature, like putting on a seat belt or brushing teeth.

We need to make cybersecurity easier for businesses as there is a lot of confusion around where to start, says Jason Murrell, the newly appointed group executive of the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network.

In late September Optus was hit by the largest data breach of its kind.

The attack has led millions of Australians to reflect on cybersecurity and threats like identity fraud.

October is cyber security awareness month and we chatted with some experts about what a cyber security specialist does and the pathways to becoming one.

What does a cybersecurity specialist do?
The answer isn't, wear a hoodie and sit behind multiple monitors typing out code, according to… Show more

In late September Optus was hit by the largest data breach of its kind.

The attack has led millions of Australians to reflect on cybersecurity and threats like identity fraud.

October is cyber security awareness month and we chatted with some experts about what a cyber security specialist does and the pathways to becoming one.

What does a cybersecurity specialist do?
The answer isn't, wear a hoodie and sit behind multiple monitors typing out code, according to AustCyber's Group Executive Jason Murrell.

"To make cybersecurity more approachable for all Australians, we need to remove this image of dark hoodie-wearing people, on either the good or criminal side of cybercrime," Mr Murrell told ABC News.

All organisations need to protect themselves from viruses, malware, hacking, privacy breaches and other cyber threats.

This is where cybersecurity specialists come in.

Mr Murrell said cybersecurity specialists plan and implement security measures to protect computer networks and systems from cyber attacks.

The crux of their job is to monitor, detect, investigate, analyse and respond to signs of intrusions. Show less