The ACSC Partnership Program enables Australian organisations and individuals to engage with the ACSC and fellow partners, drawing on collective understanding, experience, skills and capability to lift cyber resilience across the Australian economy.
The ACSC Partnership Program is delivered through the ACSC’s network of Joint Cyber Security Centres (JCSCs), physically located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, along with outreach services virtually located in Darwin and Hobart.
Who can be an ACSC partner?
The community of ACSC Network partners includes cyber security professionals across government, industry, academia and the research sector. Bringing together the situational awareness, technical expertise and experience of this community allows the public and private sectors to support and learn from each other, sharing insights and collaborating on shared threats and opportunities.
ACSC Network Partnership is available to organisations with responsibility for the security of a network or networks (either your own or on behalf of customers), and academic, research and not-for-profit institutions with an active interest and expertise in cyber security.
Other organisations with an interest and expertise in cyber security – such as cyber security vendors or consultants – may also be eligible to join the program. The ACSC Partnership Program is a non-commercial space and vendors are expected to contribute to the program on a not-for-profit basis.
As an ACSC Network Partner you may be provided access to:
- threat intelligence, news and advice to enhance situational awareness
- collaboration opportunities
- resilience-building activities (e.g. exercises, discussions, workshops)
- the JCSC network.
See below for further details on these.
ACSC business partner
ACSC Business Partnership is available to Australian entities with a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) and is suitable for organisations who would like to receive the latest information from the ACSC, but do not meet the eligibility to register as an ACSC Network Partner.
This tier of partnership provides organisations with a better understanding of the cyber security landscape and outlines the steps required to protect themselves from cyber security threats.
ACSC Business Partners will receive:
- a monthly newsletter containing news, publications and advisories produced by the Centre for the month prior
- a subscription to the ACSC Alert Service
- targeted guidance and relevant information on cyber.gov.au
- invitations to relevant, informative events ACSC are presenting/attending
By partnering with the ACSC, Australian organisations will receive timely information to assist them in keeping their systems and networks secure.
Australian Businesses can sign up here to Become an ACSC partner
ACSC home partner
ACSC Home Partnership is available to individuals and families who would like to learn more about the cyber security landscape.
ACSC Home Partners will receive a subscription to the ACSC Alert Service, providing them with a better baseline understanding of the cyber security environment.
Individuals and families can sign up via the ACSC alert page.
By partnering with the ACSC, Australians will receive timely information to assist them in keeping their systems and networks secure.
ACSC network partner inclusions
Threat intelligence and enhanced situational awareness
The ACSC constantly monitors cyber security threats from a range of local and global sources, including through government and business computer emergency response teams (CERTs) around the world.
As a partner, you will have access to threat intelligence consisting of context-rich, actionable and timely information in a variety of formats, including alerts and advisories, and automated indicator sharing.
Alerts and advisories vary in content; however, we aim to provide context-rich, actionable and timely information in a variety of formats, including advisories and indicators of compromise (IoCs).
Additionally, ACSC Network partners share threat intelligence and situational awareness derived from their own networks, allowing organisations to develop a more complete picture of the threat environment.
Collaboration opportunities
The ACSC Partnership Program allows Network partners to identify and work to mitigate shared challenges, and collaborate on shared opportunities. Network partners can engage with fellow cyber security professionals on a broad range of cyber security issues, through presentations, workshops, training sessions and information exchanges, in a closed and high-trust environment.
Opportunities are provided for partners to engage in forums dedicated to particular sectors or technologies, or in broader cross-sectoral forums on issues such as supply chains, incident response and cyber security awareness.
Partners can also engage with the national network of ACSC partners through the ACSC’s online communications platforms.
Resilience-building activities
Partners can access a wide range of resilience-building activities and materials through the ACSC Partnership Program, provided by both the ACSC and other partners. Resources include dedicated workshops and training sessions on incident response, exercise planning and conduct, and specific technical topics.
The JCSC network
The ACSC has a network of Joint Cyber Security Centres (JCSCs), physically located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, along with outreach services virtually located in Darwin and Hobart. The JCSCs provide a forum for businesses, government and other stakeholders in the Network partner tier to easily access and share cyber security information and expertise. The JCSCs create a trusted, neutral environment, driving collaboration and information-sharing on joint cyber-security challenges and opportunities, and propagating this across all sectors.
The JCSCs’ primary mission is to drive closer collaboration between government, industry, academia and the research community through the Network Partner tier. The ACSC Partnership Program has recently been expanded to include small to medium businesses and individuals which they reach through the Business Partner and Home Partners tiers of the Program. This reach is typically via cyber.gov.au, larger Network Partners and industry peak bodies.
The JCSCs also support other ACSC programs, including the National Exercise Program and support to small and medium enterprises and the community.
How to become an ACSC network partner
The following organisations are eligible to register as an ACSC Network Partner:
- Registered businesses with an Australian Business Number (ABN) who maintain IT security personnel in Australia and are able to act on operational cyber security or operational technology information.
- Government agencies (federal, state or territory) with a defined role, or key interest in, Australia's cyber security arrangements.
- Security vendors or consulting firms that sell cyber security products or services, and are willing to contribute their cyber security capabilities to the JCSC program on a not-for-profit basis.
- Academic, research or not-for-profit institutions with demonstrated interest and expertise in cyber security.
To join as a Network Partner, you must sign a deed of confidentiality which sets out the protocols for sharing and protecting information within the centres.
If you do not meet the eligibility to register as a Network Partner, but are an Australian business with a valid ABN, you are eligible to register as an ACSC Business Partner.
If the ACSC, acting reasonably, believes that an applicant poses a threat to the security or integrity of the ACSC program, that applicant may have their application refused or they may be granted restricted access to parts of the ACSC program.
