New measures on the table to strengthen Australia’s response to cyber attacks

Australia is set to appoint an expert to oversee the response to major cyber attacks and a ban on paying ransoms to hackers is also on the table.

The Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister will host a cyber security roundtable in Sydney today.

Privacy and cybersecurity expert at the University of Wollongong, Associate Professor Katina Michael, told Ross and Russel the FBI in the US operates on the principle of “don’t pay hackers because it encourages them to keep asking for more cash”.

But she said a law banning paying ransoms may be a step too far.

“What if tomorrow certain kinds of secret data was to be released and proportionally that would insecure Australia as a national entity?,” she said.

“The government may not wish to go against its own law that it’s established.”

Press PLAY below to hear what Ms Michael thinks of the steps being considered by the Australian government