A new report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute is urging the federal government to spend more to develop Australia's ability to counter cyberattacks.
In its opening, Australia's Offensive Cyber Capability report issues a stark warning the about the ease with which a cyberattack can strike and the potential scope of its destruction.
It stresses that nowadays, it's possible for a nation to launch a cyberattack against another and cause immense damage without ever firing a shot.
Fergus Hanson is the head of the International Cyber Policy Centre at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, ASPI and co-authored the report.
He says unlike conventional weapons assaults, cyberattacks can be carried out anywhere around the world.
"They have global reach and they can be very targeted so you can go after very specific pieces of infrastructure, for example military equipment that's in the battlefield, without having to drop a huge weapon that has a whole lot of collateral damage associated with it." he says.
A major recommendation of the report is that Australia invests heavily in its cyber-operations, a necessary step to keep up with global players.
It points to staffing as an issue, suggesting the government put more money into recruiting and training, as well as salaries and incentives to develop a highly sophisticated team.
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