AUSCERT 30 Years 30 Stories – Peter Degotardi

AUSCERT member in the education industry, Peter Degotardi is the Manager of Cyber Security Capability at the University of Technology Sydney. Joining the University in 2015, Peter has benefited from the information his AUSCERT membership provides. Keeping his organisation up-to-date and ahead of the game, Peter’s AUSCERT story is one of community and collaboration.

What are some of the key benefits you’ve experienced as an AUSCERT member?

The main benefit I receive from AUSCERT is the community and the sense of camaraderie we have. This community is a sight to behold; everyone talks to each other and trusts one another. The information we receive is phenomenal, giving great value out of the membership. Often, we’re alerted to vulnerable hosts before we’re even aware it’s happened. We can’t live without [phishing] site takedown services, along with phishing emails that AUSCERT handles for us.

How has AUSCERT evolved over the years?

I was involved with AUSCERT before I started in the cyber security sector, and I’ve always dreamed of going to the AUSCERT conference. Initially, AUSCERT was a ‘techie’ organisation but now it’s evolved to helping businesses secure themselves. Although technology is one part of the AUSCERT offering, they now focus on the governance and risk management services.

What advice would you give to someone considering becoming an AUSCERT member, and why do you believe that membership is valuable for organisations of all sizes and industries?

Be ready to ingest a huge amount of information; you’re going to receive a lot. The value is in the information sharing you receive, not just from AUSCERT itself but other members – everyone helps everyone else.

What do you think the future holds for AUSCERT?

Everything evolves – technology, processes, people, organisations, but no matter what changes, it needs to be secured. I’m looking at AUSCERT to provide timely information to be able to do just that – provide recommendations to stay one step ahead of the baddies.

What do you believe sets AUSCERT apart from other organisations in the cyber security space?

AUSCERT is Australian born and bred and it has the connections to its equivalents across the world. AUSCERT gives me the information I don’t have readily accessible, which will help us to develop a better security position for the organisation.