Cyber warfare represents a growing threat to national security and to how we live our lives. However the response to such threats is still evolving. Threats can take the form of attacks on specific systems or a catastrophic digital assault. Australia and other countries need to take steps to mitigate the effectiveness of such threats domestically and internationally. To do this, security agencies need to ensure that the knowledge gap between experts and decision-makers is reduced.

David Irvine, the former Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and Director-General of Security discussed these matters with Brendan Martin after delivering an address to the AIIA’s ACT Branch Annual General Meeting on 8 September 2016. His complete address entitled Australia in the Cyber Century may be viewed here.

David Irvine is Chair of the Australian Cyber Security Research Institute. He was also a diplomat with DFAT for more than 30 years and was Head of Mission to a number of countries. David was Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service between 2003 and 2009 and spent more than five years as Director-General of Security in charge of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

Interviewed by Brendan Martin of AIIA National Office

Filmed by Steven Warwick