25 Years of AusCERT

AusCERT celebrates 25 years today

There has been a lot of growth in the industry since the original SERT (Security Emergency Response Team) was formed in 1993. Three Brisbane based universities formed the SERT originally, Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University and The University of Queensland.

Originally the SERT was formed for several reasons. One was in response to Australia being recognised as a targeted geographical location for cyber security threats. Also, back in 1992, Australia was the origin of an increasing number of these attacks, which targeted overseas websites.

Relationship building with international CERTs began at this time, with the CERT Coordination Centre in Pittsburgh and the DFNCERT team in Germany being incredibly vital to the growth of Australia’s first CERT.

In the early days an exercise book was used to log all incoming calls, including wrong numbers. Indeed one of those original staff members, whose initials are inscribed in that book, is an AusCERT employee today.

AusCERT began in name on the 1^st April, 1994, this was made possible by a collaboration with AARNet, who at that time were quite new themselves, only having been in operation for several years. AusCERT became a member organisation in the late nineties, and has since been funded by our members.  

The AusCERT team is driven by a passion to protect, assist and engage with the information security community. We will continue to provide first class threat intelligence, unique membership options and advice now, and in the future.