One of the important tasks that needs to be carried out is to develop a database of reported incidents. Currently, we simply do not know how many attacks there may have been. Another important issue for the Forum to address is whether to request relevant agencies to analyse the vulnerability of the information infrastructure considered as a national entity. Once we have reliable information of this kind we will be in a better position to shape our policy to fit particular national requirements. The final component of the Government's strategy is to keep the national protective and response arrangements under review so we can adjust to developments in technology and changes in threat levels.
Administrative arrangements are just that - and nothing more.
They need to be constantly monitored and adjusted to ensure they meet the desired objectives. An example of the types of threats nations face and how quickly and unexpectedly they can occur is provided by recent press reports of a planned attack on the Indonesian information infrastructure by independence groups in the event of a failure to implement a vote for East Timorese independence. I would like to make the point that an attack of this kind made from an Australian computer would be an offence against the Crimes Act and would be dealt with accordingly. In respect of an attack on our own infrastructure, we would expect a similar response from all countries with which we have friendly relations. In this connection, the Australian Federal Police have recently established a 24 hour 'hot-line' with G8 countries to investigate computer offences online as they occur.