CSIRO R&D program to help businesses mitigate increased cyber security risk

Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, CSIRO, is helping to tackle the growing threat of cyberattacks by providing free R&D support to businesses working in the cyber security sector.

SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMES) WORKING ON NEW CYBER SECURITY SOLUTIONS CAN JOIN THE FREE, 10-WEEK ONLINE INNOVATE TO GROW PROGRAM, OFFERED BY CSIRO, TO SUPPORT THEIR IDEA WITH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE.

UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS MAY BE ABLE TO ACCESS SUPPORT, THROUGH CSIRO, TO CONNECT TO RESEARCH EXPERTISE NATIONALLY, ALONG WITH DOLLAR-MATCHED R&D FUNDING.

CSIRO’S DATA 61 GROUP LEADER SURYA NEPAL SAID CYBER SECURITY ATTACKS WERE A GROWING THREAT ACROSS THE WORLD IMPACTING MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF SECTORS.

“CYBER CRIMINALS ARE CONSTANTLY FINDING NEW WAYS TO CARRY OUR CYBER-ATTACKS, WHICH CAN HAVE DEVASTATING IMPACTS FOR COMPANIES AND CONSUMERS,” DR NEPAL SAID.

ACCORDING TO THE AUSTRALIAN CYBER SECURITY CENTRE, THERE WAS AN ANNUAL INCREASE OF 13 PER CENT OF REPORTS OF CYBERCRIME IN THE 2020-21 FINANCIAL YEAR.

CSIRO’S SME CONNECT DEPUTY DIRECTOR GEORGE FEAST SAID TO STAY AHEAD OF THESE, NEW SOLUTIONS ARE REQUIRED.

“MUCH OF THIS CAN BE DRIVEN BY SMES – WHO MAKE UP 99.8 PER CENT OF ALL BUSINESSES IN AUSTRALIA – DEVELOPING NEW CYBER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES POWERED BY R&D,” DR FEAST SAID.

“HOWEVER, R&D CAN BE AN EXPENSIVE UNDERTAKING FOR BUSINESSES AND RISKY FOR THOSE WITHOUT THE RIGHT GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT.

“THROUGH OUR INNOVATE TO GROW PROGRAM, WE INVITE PARTICIPANTS TO COME WITH A SPECIFIC CYBER SECURITY COMMERCIAL IDEA THEY’D LIKE TO EXPLORE. OVER 10 WEEKS WE’LL STEP BUSINESSES THROUGH HOW TO REFINE THEIR IDEA, TO UNDERSTAND ITS RESEARCH VIABILITY, AND BEGIN ENGAGING A UNIVERSITY OR RESEARCH INSTITUTION TO DELIVER A COLLABORATIVE R&D PROJECT,” HE SAID.

RESEARCH RELEASED BY CSIRO LAST YEAR FOUND THAT DESPITE COLLABORATION BEING KEY TO DRIVE STRONG R&D OUTCOMES, LESS THAN 15 PER CENT OF AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES ENGAGE UNIVERSITIES OR RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS FOR THEIR INNOVATION ACTIVITIES.

“OUR GOAL IS TO UP THAT PERCENTAGE,” DR FEAST SAID.

BUSINESS WILL ALSO TAP INTO CSIRO’S OWN CYBER SECURITY EXPERTISE THROUGH DATA61, CSIRO’S DATA AND DIGITAL SPECIALIST ARM, AND BE EXPOSED TO INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE, HEAR FROM INNOVATION AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS, AND WORK WITH AN R&D MENTOR.

ELIGIBLE COMPANIES CAN BE WORKING DIRECTLY IN CYBER SECURITY OR OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT OFFER ONLINE SOLUTIONS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS – SUCH AS AGRICULTURE AND HEALTH – AND WANT TO IMPROVE THE CYBER SECURITY ASPECT OF THEIR OFFERING.

CSIRO’S INNOVATE TO GROW: CYBER SECURITY PROGRAM, COMMENCES 1 DECEMBER AND IS AVAILABLE FOR 20-25 SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SME). THE PROGRAM WILL PAUSE OVER THE CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR BREAK. APPLICATIONS CLOSE 7 NOVEMBER: HTTPS://WWW.CSIRO.AU/CYBER-SECURITY

THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, ENERGY AND RESOURCES THROUGH THE CYBER SECURITY SKILLS PARTNERSHIP INNOVATION FUND.