ACSC to hold cyber exercise for water sector

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) will next year host a two-day drill aimed at strengthening the cyber resilience of the water and wastewater sectors.

The agency is inviting government and private sector organisations to participate in the national exercise, which will take place in August 2021.

According to the ACSC, the exercise will be modelled after a similar successful exercise conducted in conjunction with the electricity industry in November last year. It will also be designed in partnership with members of the industries and government agencies.

“Participation in the exercise will provide Australian water and wastewater sector organisations with government agencies with the opportunity to gain experience responding to a cyber incident scenario and evaluate areas for improvement,” the ACSC said in a statement announcing the exercise.

The exercise will provide opportunities for organisations and personnel from the industries to strengthen and validate their cybersecurity response and recovery plans, practise their operational and strategic capabilities to respond to cyber incidents and increase their knowledge of current and looming cyber threats.

Organisations will also be able to use lessons from the enterprise to validate and inform their training processes and improve communications with their partners and the Australian public.

Registration to participate in the exercise closes on 24 September.

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