Cybersecurity

Engineering identity from anonymity: Our work on risks of re-identification

As you’ve no doubt read, either through Algorithm or national news, data is everywhere. We create and consume data continuously. This data is specific to us, but when consolidated, this shared data can be of immense value. The value is not only for population level insights. An example – it has been identified that data...

This common action is putting you at risk of being deepfaked

As we move further into the Computer Age, fake news, digital deceit and widespread use of social media are having a profound impact on every element of society, from swaying elections and manipulating science-proven facts, to encouraging racial bias and exploiting women. Once a topic only discussed in computer research labs, deepfakes were catapulted into...

AFP using AI innovation to protect investigators from abhorrent material

‘The more data the better’ is a recurring request from organisations when it comes to mining data sets to solve complex problems. However, in unique cases, being exposed to too much data can be harmful to one’s mental health when working on the data-driven front line. The Australian Federal Police are tasked with identifying abhorrent...

Why we’re vaccinating algorithms against adversarial attacks

Is the image on the left that of a temple, or of a large bird native to Africa? According to a machine learning model that’s been duped by an adversarial attack, it’s an ostrich. As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning across our society and economy is increasing, so too is the...

Over 2,000 fake Android apps discovered

The apps you regularly use to log your steps, edit your photos and monitor your finances may be hiding malicious software that could be tracking and even stealing your personal information. As part of a two-year cyber security project, researchers from CSIRO’s Data61 and the Faculty of Engineering’s School of Computer Science at the University...

Newly discovered computer attack can steal data from memory chips

Security researchers have developed a new cyber-attack called RAMBleed, a variant of Rowhammer that can steal data from memory chips even if the system has been updated to prevent these kinds of ambushes. Developed by an international team, (Yuval Yarom from the University of Adelaide and Data61, Andrew Kwong and Daniel Genkin of the University...

Web of worries: are you unknowingly loading malicious content from “trusted” sites?

Love it or leave it, the World Wide Web is here to stay. In a mere 20 years, the Internet has evolved from a fledgling ‘network of networks’ developed by Tim Berners-Lee to the all-encompassing behemoth that it is today. Worldwide, over 56 per cent of the population has access to the internet. That’s 3.2...

Fortifying Australia’s cybersecurity resilience

The frequency and magnitude of cybersecurity threats is increasing, and with it, the need to strengthen Australia's ability to protect against such threats. In 2018, we'll need to focus on several key areas around cybersecurity to ensure continued protection against new threats in this area. Data61's John McLaughlin explores further below.