The Albanese Government will invest AU$6.4 million to launch an Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (ISAC) for the Australian healthcare system. ISACs have proven effective in Australia and around the world, connecting businesses and organisations across industries to help share information about cyber threats, as well as successful responses and preventative measures.

There are already mature ISACs operating in banking and finance in Australia, but the Albanese Government has acknowledged that government intervention to kick-start networks in other high-risk sectors is long overdue.

“The last two years has been the beginning of a big, overdue national journey to lift up cybersecurity across the country to better protect our citizens,” said Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security Clare O’Neil.

“Healthcare faces a vulnerability trifecta. Cyber criminals know that every Australian depends on these essential services – and that they cannot afford to be offline over extended periods. Healthcare providers tend to hold highly sensitive data, and they often struggle with building and funding strong cyber protections.

“That’s why healthcare providers are one of the most common, and most damaging, targets of cyberattack. This is a pattern we see all over the world.”

The healthcare sector was listed first in Australia’s top five sectors to notify data breaches in the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s latest Notifiable Data Breaches Report, alongside finance, insurance, retail and Australian Government.1

The pilot ISAC in healthcare will pave the way for additional ISACs to be established in other industries.

Reference available at mivision.com.au.