It is imperative that businesses adopt their own rigorous security standards to take full advantage of the benefits e-commerce has to offer Australia. Timeliness A series of recent attacks on major Internet sites in the United States have highlighted the potential vulnerability of information systems. Hackers were able to exploit poor security on a large number of websites and then use those sites to launch their assault on major sites. The targets of the attacks were powerless to defend against them. Similarly, the Internet has become a forum for politically motivated attacks.
Some groups use the Internet to mobilise quickly to respond to international events.
Others protest against political events by attacking government or organisational websites. Had the websites adopted the sound security practices set out in this Standard, the attacks may not have been launched. Background The Standard on Information Security Management was developed in 1996 to implement the OECD Guidelines for the Security of Information Systems. The revised version, which I am launching today, is in two parts. The first is a code of practice for information security management.