When a mining company in Perth remotely controls equipment 2,000 kilometres away in the Pilbara, who is responsible for protecting that connection?
When an office building’s security cameras are internet-connected, who governs what data they capture and where it goes?
And as Australia faces a growing shortage of cyber security professionals, where will the next generation of digital defenders come from?
For Gohar Rind, founder of Intaris, Western Australia’s first Indigenous-owned cyber security company, these are not abstract technology questions. They are part of a responsibility that predates the internet by tens of thousands of years.
For more than 65,000 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been custodians and protectors of this country. That responsibility has not disappeared. It has evolved.
“Technology will continue to change and so will the risks,” Gohar says. “But if we invest in people and build capability, that delivers the greatest return.”
His focus is on building Indigenous capability so that the role of protection continues to sit with First Nations people, sharing traditional knowledge and using contemporary tools to address modern threats.
From gates to digital defences
Gohar’s journey into cyber security began with Yira Yarkiny, a company focused on traditional security. As Australian businesses moved increasingly online, the nature of threats shifted with them.
Protection is no longer purely physical. Where security once meant patrols and CCTV, it now includes securing networks, systems and remote operations across entire organisations.
When distance becomes vulnerability
For many business leaders, cyber security is now an operational issue with direct implications for safety, productivity and continuity.
Industries such as mining, oil and gas, energy and advanced manufacturing rely heavily on operational technology. In Western Australia, it is common for operations centres in Perth City to control equipment thousands of kilometres away in the Pilbara.
These systems depend on digital infrastructure and connectivity. Disruption can halt production, compromise safety and expose businesses to significant financial and reputational risk.
The devices businesses aren’t thinking about
Cyber risk is not confined to large industrial operators. Smaller businesses are increasingly exposed through everyday connected technology.
Internet-connected cameras, smart meters, temperature sensors, routers and mobile devices are now standard across many sectors. They are not traditional computers, but they are accessible, connected and often overlooked.
For many businesses, the challenge is not sophistication, but awareness. Understanding what is connected, who has access and where data flows is often enough to materially reduce risk.
Cyber security as a governance responsibility
The most effective organisations now treat cyber security the same way they approach other business risks. Like workplace health and safety, mental health or compliance, it requires an assessment of likelihood, impact and accountability.
Who holds your data?
What access do suppliers, contractors and service providers have?
What do your procurement contracts and terms and conditions actually say about security obligations?
These are governance questions, not technical ones. Answering them does not always require significant expenditure. In many cases, just thinking about it, enables better controls and smarter decisions.
Why criminals still walk through open doors
Despite advances in cyber capability, many breaches still occur because of basic weaknesses.
Default credentials and weak passwords remain one of the most common points of failure. Gohar likens it to a layered physical security system. Gates, cameras and alarms are only effective if someone doesn't already have the master code.
“If someone with bad intent has your pin code, all those security barriers get disengaged,” he explains. “They’re just walking through the door.”
Attackers do not need sophisticated tools if access is already available. In many cases, leaked credentials and common passwords are easily obtained through data breaches and the dark web.
Strong credentials remain one of the simplest and most effective controls available, yet are still routinely overlooked.
The talent pool we're overlooking
Australia faces a critical cyber security skills shortage. Industry estimates suggest we need thousands of additional cyber security professionals to adequately protect our digital infrastructure. Yet within Australia sits an underutilised talent pool.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represent just over two per cent of Australia's population, a demographic with a notably young profile.
“We know that a significant portion of the Aboriginal population is young adults,” says Gohar. “They can play a crucial role in protecting their own country in the digital sense."
Closing the skills gap with purpose
As Western Australia’s first Indigenous-owned cyber security firm, Intaris represents a shift in how cyber capability is being built, not just delivered.
Its focus is on long-term capacity: education, mentoring, scholarships and coaching that span both life skills and cyber security. The objective is a workforce that can grow with the sector and respond to an increasingly complex risk environment.
Western Australia is uniquely placed to lead this approach. It is home to critical infrastructure that demands protection, strong Aboriginal communities ready to participate in the digital economy, and institutions such as Edith Cowan University.
Cyber security is no longer a technical function. It is a leadership issue, a workforce issue and a governance issue. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the organisations and regions that invest in people will be best positioned to protect what matters most, and to shape what cyber security leadership looks like in Australia’s digital future.
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Cecily Rawlinson is the Director of CyberWest Hub, Western Australia’s central force for advancing cyber security. The Hub is committed to strengthening the state’s cyber industry, developing a future-ready workforce, and raising cyber awareness across all sectors of the economy. For more information, you can get in touch with Cecily at director@cyberwesthub.au.
Gohar Rind is one of many experts that exist in Perth to support companies with their cyber security and data privacy challenges. CyberWest Hub is connected to a range of local experts - find out more at https://www.cyberwesthub.au
