Cybersecurity: Bridging Research and Practice - Insights from Professor Helge Janicke

Watch Professor Helge Janicke full lecture Cybersecurity – from Research to Practice.

Professor Helge Janicke is a leading expert in cybersecurity who is playing a pivotal role in advancing Australia's cybersecurity landscape. His impressive career includes directing ECU's Security Research Institute and spearheading initiatives at the Centre for Securing Digital Futures, focusing on Critical Infrastructure security and Operational Technologies.

With a PhD in Computer Science from De Montfort University, UK and a track record of over 150 peer-reviewed articles, Professor Janicke has significantly contributed to the field.

His previous roles include heading DMU's School of Computer Science and establishing the Cyber Technology Institute and its Airbus Centre of Excellence in SCADA Cyber Security and Forensics Research.

Critical intersection

Professor Janicke's lecture explored the impact of emerging technologies like AI and Quantum Computing on cybersecurity, shedding light on the critical intersection between academic research and real-world cybersecurity challenges.

Highlighting the significant economic impact of cybersecurity research, Professor Janicke noted that cybersecurity issues were not just a technical concern but a broader societal challenge.

He cited KPMG's report, which indicates that cybercrime costs Australia around $28 billion annually, with 60 per cent of small businesses experiencing cyber-attacks that can shut down operations within months.

Future state

Looking ahead, Professor Janicke envisions Australia becoming a global leader in cybersecurity by 2030. He outlined the need for applied research that translates into actionable policies and products and shared examples of impactful research projects, such as:

• Cyber Buddies: A program designed to support small to medium-sized businesses, which, despite contributing significantly to Australia's GDP, often invest minimally in cybersecurity.
• Augmenting Cyber Defence Capabilities: Using explainable AI technology to predict and support the actions human incident response teams to enhance their capacity.
• Securing Critical Agricultural Technology: Research focused on protecting the food supply chain from hybrid cyber-attacks and ensuring the security of agricultural technologies.

Professor Janicke also discussed the challenges of translating research into practice, emphasising the importance of collaboration across boundaries and clear communication of research findings to a broader audience.

A safer world

“Our vision and purpose for the Centre for Securing Digital Futures is to make the world a safer place through our research and innovation we have real world impact on the security and safety of our communities,” said Professor Janicke.

In closing, Professor Caroline Finch AO, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), thanked Professor Janicke for his valuable insights and dedication. The lecture not only provided a comprehensive overview of the current state of cybersecurity but also underscored the vital role of academic research in addressing contemporary challenges.

The event, which was open to the public, provided an excellent opportunity for attendees to engage with cutting-edge research and understand the practical implications of cybersecurity advancements.

Think you can out hack the hackers?

ECU has Australia's largest cyber security research and education program and is one of the leading groups in the world. One of our academic staff is even a member of Interpol's Cyber Crime Experts Group. If cyber @ECU sounds like you, check us out: Cyber Security Courses | Edith Cowan University

ECU Lecture Series

Established in 2015, each year the ECU Lecture Series features six distinguished Professors sharing their research expertise with ECU students, staff and members of the community. A Q&A discussion provides an opportunity for the audience to ask their own questions.

A reminder that this lecture, and past lectures, are available to view on the ECU Lecture Series webpage, which I encourage you to share with your network.

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