SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia stated on Wednesday it could spend A$26.2 million ($17 million) to determine “fast help” groups to reply to cyber crises within the Pacific area, and one other A$16.7 million to establish cyber vulnerabilities within the Pacific Islands.
The cyber safety increase comes after Australia and the USA dedicated final month to funding two new undersea cables to be rolled out by Google within the Pacific Islands to extend connectivity for eight distant island nations.
Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy stated the fast response groups would “construct long-term resilience within the Pacific” and supply vital help.
Final yr, Vanuatu’s authorities, hospitals and court docket have been locked out of laptop programs and electronic mail for weeks by a hacker, days after a brand new authorities was elected, and Australia despatched safety specialists to help.
Fiji’s authorities stated on Tuesday {that a} new undersea cable to be rolled out by Google, connecting the USA and Australia through Fiji, would deliver FJD $200 million ($89 million) in funding to Fiji and see the primary Tier 3 datacentre constructed within the Pacific Islands.
A second undersea cable would join the USA to Australia through French Polynesia.
($1 = 1.5366 Australian {dollars})
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Modifying by Stephen Coates)
