ISPs: Voluntary code of practice to reduce online security risk
1 December 2010: Attorney-General Robert McClelland and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy have announced that a voluntary code for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to assist in protecting Australians from online threats comes into effect 1 December 2010.
The ISP Code of Practice on cyber security will provide a set of guidelines for ISPs to follow and contains four main elements:
- a notification/management system for compromised computers;
- a comprehensive resource for ISPs to access the latest threat information;
- a standardised information resource for end users; and
- a reporting mechanism to alert Australia’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT Australia) to cases of extreme threat.
The Code, known as the ‘icode’, has been developed by the Internet Industry Association in partnership with the Australian Government and fulfils a major priority of the Government’s Cyber Security Strategy.
The Code is available online at http://iia.net.au/images/resources/pdf/icode-v1.pdf
For information on how to protect yourself online, visit www.staysmartonline.gov.au and sign up to the free alert service.