Standards Australia and the Internet of Things Alliance Australia (IoTAA) have welcomed the release of the federal government’s 2023-2030 cyber security strategy.

The Strategy aims to create a digital environment that is safe, trusted and secure for Australian communities, businesses and government agencies and recognises the critical role of standards in shaping the secure design and deployment of technology.

“A mandatory cyber security standard for Internet of Things (IoT) devices and a voluntary labelling scheme for consumer-grade smart devices will help lift protection for consumers, weed out the bad players and improve our security overall,” IoTAA chief executive officer Frank Zeichner says.

Standards Australia has been working with the IoTAA over several years, advocating for a sensible internationally aligned approach on several elements of the strategy, including labelling.

The Strategy details many initiatives including the adoption, development and curation of standards in Australia for cyber security of smart devices and software, and a voluntary labelling scheme for consumer-grade smart devices, which could help consumers make a more informed decision when purchasing IoT devices.

Standards Australia will continue to work closely with industry and government to support Australia’s participation in international standard-setting for cyber security and to strengthen uptake and harmonisation of cyber security standards in the Indo-Pacific region, in support of the Strategy’s objectives.