Cyber.gov.au: How to Protect, Report and Recover from Cyber Threats

If you run a business in Australia, there’s one free resource worth bookmarking today: cyber.gov.au. Run by the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC), it’s the country’s official home for practical cyber security advice, covering the latest threats, how to protect yourself whether you’re an individual, a business or a government agency, and exactly what to do to report and recover when something goes wrong.

What is cyber.gov.au?

cyber.gov.au is the public face of ASD’s ACSC, Australia’s lead agency for cyber security. It turns serious national-security expertise into plain-English guidance anyone can act on, and it’s kept genuinely current: the site publishes real-time alerts and advisories on active threats, from critical vulnerabilities in widely used firewalls to attacks on hosting control panels and WordPress sites. Best of all, it’s free and vendor-neutral.

Stay ahead of the threats

The threat guidance covers the attacks Australian businesses actually face: phishing and scams, ransomware, malware, business email compromise, identity theft and data breaches. You can also subscribe to the free alert service to be notified of new threats as they emerge. It’s a simple way to stay one step ahead instead of finding out the hard way.

Protect yourself, whoever you are

cyber.gov.au tailors its advice to four audiences: individuals & families, small & medium businesses, organisations & critical infrastructure, and government. The individuals & families guidance doubles as free staff awareness material (see our guide to cyber security awareness training and clause 7.3). For businesses, the standout practical resources are:

• The Essential Eight: ASD’s eight baseline mitigation strategies and the single best starting point for hardening your systems (see our Essential Eight guide).
• The Information Security Manual (ISM): a comprehensive cyber security framework for organisations.
• The Cyber Health Check and Ransomware Playbook: hands-on, practical tools you can use today.
• IRAP: the assessor program for organisations handling Australian government data.

How to report a cyber incident

If you’re hit, cyber.gov.au makes reporting straightforward through ReportCyber, the national portal for reporting cybercrime, incidents and vulnerabilities. For urgent help, the Australian Cyber Security Hotline is available 24/7 on 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371). There’s also clear “Have you been hacked?” guidance to help you work out your next move fast.

How to recover

The Recover from a cyber incident section has step-by-step recovery guides for the most common incidents:

• Data breaches (which can also carry obligations under the Privacy Act; see our guide to securing personal information under APP 11.3)
• Account compromise
• Business email compromise
• Hacking
• Identity theft
• Malware
• Ransomware
• Scams

Each guide walks you through who to contact and how to limit the damage and get back on your feet.

Where cyber.gov.au meets ISO 27001

cyber.gov.au is brilliant for knowing what to do, both before and after an incident. The piece it can’t do for you is build the system that makes “before” your default. That’s what ISO 27001 provides: a structured information security management system that turns this great advice into governed, repeatable practice, with risk assessment, the right controls (the Essential Eight maps neatly here), and a tested incident-response and recovery plan. cyber.gov.au tells you the destination; ISO 27001 is the vehicle that gets you there reliably.

And with the recent Five Eyes warning that AI is sharply increasing cyber risk, pairing it with ISO 42001 for AI governance is increasingly smart.

How Streamline can help

Through our cyber and information security advisory, we help Australian businesses turn cyber.gov.au’s guidance into a working system: implementing the Essential Eight, building an ISO 27001-aligned information security management system, and putting a real incident-response plan in place.

Cyber.gov.au: FAQs

How do I report a cyber attack in Australia?

Report it through ReportCyber on cyber.gov.au, or call the Australian Cyber Security Hotline on 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371), available 24 hours a day.

Is cyber.gov.au free?

Yes. It’s the free, vendor-neutral public resource of the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC).

What’s the best place to start protecting my business?

The Essential Eight: ASD’s eight baseline mitigation strategies. See our Essential Eight guide for a plain-English walkthrough.

Speak with an experienced ISO auditor

Email hello@streamline.business or call us. You’ll deal directly with an experienced ISO auditor who’ll tailor a practical approach to your business. You’re also welcome to get in touch via our contact page.