## 5 Discussion
### Cybersecurity Challenges in Economic Subsystem
#### 5.5.1 National Cybersecurity Challenges  
The national cybersecurity challenges subtheme explains all cybersecurity challenges that emerged due to the lack of a cybersecurity educational ecosystem in Australia. The national cybersecurity challenges are explained as cybersecurity issues that emerged due to a shortage of qualified instructors and suitable economic cyber-resources, particularly in the HERS in Australia.  
**Lack of Appropriate Cybersecurity Educational Ecosystem**  
The cybersecurity educational ecosystem is defined as the pool of qualified cybersecurity professionals living and working in the region. Participants mentioned that the recent crisis has revealed that Australia is in dire need of cybersecurity professionals. Twenty-three interviewees pointed out that phishing attacks, malware attacks, and network attacks could be mitigated, or their impact could be minimized, if they had enough cybersecurity professionals in their institutions before the crisis. A report by the Australian Cybersecurity Network states that there is a need for approximately 17,000 more cybersecurity workers by 2026 in Australia [131]. Similarly, the Australia Information Security Association (AISA) pointed out in a survey that nearly 78% of participants said that there is a shortage of qualified cybersecurity workers for available positions in Australia [132]. The current study also confirms these report findings and concludes that this skill gap needs to be fulfilled at the national level to overcome similar cybersecurity issues in future crises. R011 said, _\"States should work on bringing in more cybersecurity professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly shown us that we have a shortage of qualified cybersecurity instructors otherwise if we have more cyber professionals such massive malware, network attacks could be controlled easily\"_.  
**Need for Suitable National Economic Cyber-Resources**  
National economic cyber-resources include collective digital infrastructure, technologies, expertise, and capabilities that a country utilizes to protect and enhance its economic activities in cyberspace. These resources are essential for ensuring a nation's economy's security, resilience, and efficiency in the digital age. Participants revealed that the high cost of cybersecurity system maintenance is economically challenging for the HERS to build a strong cybersecurity culture and defend the organizational systems against these emergingcybersecurity challenges amidst the major crisis. This depicts a need for suitable national economic cyber-resources offered by states and governments. R027 said, \"_There should be some financial incentives provided by the government to boost the cyber economic environment in higher education institutions. For example, offering free cybersecurity training for current employees at the government level as institutions are unable to financially spend that much on just one aspect of organization that is cybersecurity_\". Although there are Australian government departments, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Australian Cyber Security Centre, and the Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre, that are established to improve the cyber-resilience of the Australian community and help make Australia the most secure place to connect online, according to the participants of the current study, it can be said that there is a need for several financial, economic initiatives to be offered for the organization's cybersecurity department to mitigate increasing cybersecurity challenges and avoid similar cybersecurity attacks in a future crisis.