The Australian Signals Directorate's Australian Cyber Security Partnership Program enables Australian organisations and individuals to engage with the ASD's ACSC and fellow partners, drawing on collective understanding, experience, skills and capability to lift cyber resilience across the Australian economy.
The Australian Signals Directorate’s Cyber Security Partnership Program is delivered through the ASD's network of Partnership Program State/Territory Offices, physically located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, along with outreach services virtually located in Darwin and Hobart.
Who can be an Australian Signals Directorate’s Cyber Security partner?
The community of ASD’s Cyber Security 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.
ASD’s Cyber Security Partnership program 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 ASD’s Cyber Security Partnership program is a non-commercial space and vendors are expected to contribute to the program on a not-for-profit basis.
As an ASD’s Cyber Security 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)
- Partnership Program State/Territory offices.
See below for further details on these.
ASD's Business Partner
ASD's 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 ASD's ACSC, but do not meet the eligibility to register as an ASD’s Cyber Security Partners.
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.
ASD's Business Partners will receive:
- a monthly newsletter containing news, publications and advisories produced by the Centre for the month prior
- a subscription to the ASD's ACSC Alert Service
- targeted guidance and relevant information on cyber.gov.au
- invitations to relevant, informative events ASD's ACSC are presenting/attending
By partnering with the ASD's, 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 ASD's partner
ASD's Home Partner
ASD's Home Partnership is available to individuals and families who would like to learn more about the cyber security landscape.
ASD's Home Partners will receive a subscription to the ASD's ACSC Alert Service, providing them with a better baseline understanding of the cyber security environment.
Individuals and families can sign up via the ASD's ACSC sign up for alerts page.
By partnering with the ASD's ACSC, Australians will receive timely information to assist them in keeping their systems and networks secure.
ASD's Network Partner inclusions
Threat intelligence and enhanced situational awareness
The ASD's 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, ASD’s Cyber Security 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 Australian Signals Directorate’s Cyber Security 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 ASD’s Cyber Security Partners through the ASD's ACSC’s online communications platforms.
Resilience-building activities
Partners can access a wide range of resilience-building activities and materials through the Australian Signals Directorate’s Cyber Security Partnership Program, provided by both the ASD's ACSC and other partners. Resources include dedicated workshops and training sessions on incident response, exercise planning and conduct, and specific technical topics.
Partnership Program State/Territory offices
The ASD's has a network of Partnership Program State/Territory offices, physically located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, along with outreach services virtually located in Darwin and Hobart. The offices 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 Partnership Program State/Territory offices create a trusted, neutral environment, driving collaboration and information-sharing on joint cyber-security challenges and opportunities, and propagating this across all sectors.
The Partnership Program State/Territory offices’ primary mission is to drive closer collaboration between government, industry, academia and the research community through the Network Partner tier. The Australian Signals Directorate’s Cyber Security 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 Partnership Program State/Territory offices also support other ASD's programs, including the National Exercise Program and support to small and medium enterprises and the community.
How to become an ASD’s Cyber Security Partner
The following organisations are eligible to register as an ASD’s Cyber Security 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 Partnership Program State/Territory offices 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 ASD’s Cyber Security 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 ASD’s Cyber Security Partner, but are an Australian business with a valid ABN, you are eligible to register as an ASD's Business Partner.
If the ASD's, acting reasonably, believes that an applicant poses a threat to the security or integrity of the ASD's program, that applicant may have their application refused or they may be granted restricted access to parts of the ASD's program.
Video case study: Horizon Power
Discover the benefits of partnering with ASD to build Australia’s collective cyber resilience. In 2023, Horizon Power collaborated with ASD to examine and test its cyber security posture and controls. This partnership helped to improve both the speed and the quality with which Horizon Power can respond to and manage cyber incidents, including sharing cyber threat intelligence.