Why Cyber Security
Matters to Everyone New Professors Talk

Cyberspace continues to transform the way we live and do business. Securing cyberspace has become a critical need in the 21st century to enable people, enterprises and governments to interact and conduct their business. Growing public concerns coupled with a dramatic increase in security attacks are generating a worldwide debate on cyber security.

Cyber security threats continue, unrestricted by geographical boundaries. Although solutions ranging from secure software to defensive measures for protecting data, computer systems and networks, and users are improving, the attacks have become more sophisticated, the attackers more resourceful, and the ability to carry out attacks easier. We hear about cyberattacks, online fraud, phishing and ransomware in the media daily. In this digitally enabled information world, it is vitally important that each one of us has some appreciation of cyber security and know how to protect ourselves from online security threats.

This talk will explore some recent developments in cyber security, the nature of cyber attacks and the capacities of cyber criminals, as well as providing some practical advice for individuals, families and businesses to protect their private information and their applications.

Professor Vijay Varadharajan

Vijay Varadharajan is Global Innovation Chair Professor in Cyber Security at the University of Newcastle. He is also the Director of the Advanced Cyber Security Engineering Research Centre (ACSRC) at Newcastle.

In addition to full time roles at Macquarie University and the University of Western Sydney, Vijay has been an invited visiting professor at institutions around the world including Australia, the UK, India, Singapore, Germany and France. His expertise has been called on internationally with advisory roles for organisations including the NSW Government, the European Union, Microsoft and SAP.