Changes are coming to the Australian digital landscape, and in this week's episode of the CISO Brief, Liam Garman and David Hollingworth explore the essential details of what every CISO needs to know.

The Security of Critical Infrastructure Act (SOCI Act) entails how critical infrastructure should be operated and protected, and the government has proposed some vital changes, including giving ministers the power to ban certain hardware and software vendors.

AI budgets come under the microscope next, with banking and the financial sector looking to match AI uptake, while managing essential legacy systems remains a particular challenge. Here's what you need to know.

Finally, Garman and Hollingworth discuss remote workers and whether they're a cyber security risk or a productivity force multiplier. As many countries respond to the current fuel crisis with new work-from-home mandates, CISO Brief has some essential advice for network defenders with distributed workforces.

Enjoy the show,
The Cyber Daily team

Cyber security, AI ethics, and geopolitical hacking collide in a packed week of headlines – and in this episode of Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft break down what actually matters.

The pressure is mounting on AI firms as Australian regulators eye hefty fines for platforms deemed unsafe for children – is this a fight the Aussie government can win, or will the tech bros find a way to dodge their responsibilities once again? Controversy over US food delivery giant DoorDash tapping workers to help train its AI models is also a hot topic and, once again, Hollingworth and Croft unpack the situation and possible ramifications.

From there, the focus shifts to cyber crime: alleged breaches at anime streaming service Crunchyroll and automotive giant Mazda, Lockheed Martin pushing back on claims that F-35 data was compromised by a pro-Iranian hacker, and an Australian man facing significant jail time over a darknet child abuse site.

Rounding things out, the pair examine rising tensions in the cyber domain, with Iran-linked threat actor Handala drawing the attention of FBI director Kash Patel, before offering a preview of what to expect at next month's Australian Cyber Summit.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Steve Kuper and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson unpack the concept of sovereign industrial capability and its growing importance amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The trio explore how the idea of sovereignty has evolved from a defence-specific concept into a broader national priority, particularly as global supply chains face disruption and Australia confronts its structural dependencies.

They discuss the lack of a clear, shared definition of sovereign capability, and how misunderstandings persist even within defence and national security circles.

The conversation highlights the need for Australia to identify and secure critical capabilities domestically, ranging from fuel and logistics to data and cyber resilience.

The episode also reflects on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and questions whether Australia has made meaningful progress in strengthening self-reliance, or if it remains vulnerable to external shocks.

With rising geopolitical tensions and shifting global dynamics, the speakers consider whether the era of globalisation is reaching its limits.

These topics include engaging discussion across:

• The meaning (and ambiguity) of sovereign industrial capability in modern Australia.
• Lessons from COVID-19 and ongoing reliance on fragile global supply chains.
• The impact of geopolitical conflict on fuel security, logistics and economic stability.
• The challenge of building true national resilience versus shifting dependence.
• The role of political leadership and decision making in shaping sovereign capability.
• The effects of political fragmentation and polarisation on national security planning.
• Whether globalisation has reached its limits and the rise of nationalism.
• The practical components of sovereignty, including fuel, munitions, cyber resilience and industrial capacity.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team