Australian cyber security could improve with better federal policies but it has a solid legal framework to build upon as online activity becomes more prominent, a report has found.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's 2015 cyber maturity report ranks Australia fifth out of 20 Asia-Pacific countries, with the US, Japan and South Korea leading the way.
Australia scored 79.9 out of 100, while the US was rated at 90.7.
Australia was found to participate well in international discussions on cyber security but lost marks for the military's lack of engagement in the area.
Dialogue between industry and government could also be improved, the report found.
"Australia continues to improve the political, business and social elements of its cyber maturity," the report states.
"The country has sustained its role as a regional leader in multilateral forums on cyber security."
New Zealand came in sixth, though its military and businesses received a harsh score and were described as ill-prepared for cyber attacks.
