The Sunshine Coast is rapidly establishing itself as a key player in the fight against cybercrime.
More companies and experts are converging on the region, which is becoming a hub for solutions aimed at tackling digital threats.
A major cybersecurity group is the latest to set up an office in the area.
Cybermerc, experts in detecting and protecting against threats, now has a home at the University of Sunshine Coast.
Cybercrime is one of that fastest growing crime types in Australia, with hundreds of millions of dollars lost each year.
As cybercrime reports increase, the Sunshine Coast business community, with the support of Sunshine Coast Council, is leveraging world-class data infrastructure and expertise to tackle the growing threat of data breaches.
In 2023, Mooloolaba TAFE launched its Cyber Security Training Operations Centre which has attracted numerous cyber-security firms to the region.
The Sunshine Coast also became home to The Critical Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (CI-ISAC), a not-for profit entity providing organisations with a platform to share intelligence on getting ahead of, and defeating, cyber-attacks.
Adding to the region’s reputation as an emerging cybercrime-fighting capital, the Sunshine Coast was recently chosen to host the second AGM for the CI-ISAC.
And now the region welcomes Cybermerc, a leader in providing cyber-security and threat intelligence solutions for small businesses, enterprise and government.
Cybermerc has five locally-based employees and plans to create 10 new jobs on the Sunshine Coast.
The company opened its first office outside the nation’s capital on the Sunshine Coast, making the UniSC’s Innovation Centre home.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli welcomed Cybermerc to the region.
“As someone who has personally been a cyber victim, I am proud our region is on the front foot in developing capabilities to address this crime,” she said.
“Cybermerc’s presence here boosts our reputation as a place for innovation and also offers career opportunities for our youth.”
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Cybermerc chief executive officer Matthew Nevin praised the Sunshine Coast for its impressive achievements, attributing them to the broadband infrastructure build.
“Having world-class connectivity, a motivated business community and developing some amazing expertise in our industry means we absolutely had to have a local presence and be part of the excitement,” he said.
According to the 2023 ASD Cyber Threat Report, there were nearly 94,000 reports of cybercrime submitted to ReportCyber in 2022-2023, an increase of 23 per cent compared to the previous financial year. On average, that’s one report received every six minutes.
The cost of cybercrime to Australian businesses increased by 14 per cent compared to the previous financial year. Small businesses experienced an average financial loss of $46,000, while cybercrimes cost medium businesses an average of $97,200, and large businesses an average of $71,600.
Cybermerc successfully secured grant funding from the federal government for ‘Project DFNDR’ to look at Adaptive Cyber Security for Defence and Critical Infrastructure small and medium-sized enterprises.
The project is being delivered in partnership with the University of Canberra and cyber security consultancy firm Ionize, to better predict, prevent and indefinity cyber threats.
Local organisation Manufacturing Excellence Forum (MEF), which includes several defence industry suppliers in its membership base, has partnered with Cybermerc on the project.
MEF director Tim Kelly said he was thrilled to be involved.
“This collective research effort aims to uplift the region’s cyber-security capabilities and contribute to the nation’s economic and security landscape,” he said.
