Harnessing observability to secure Australia's critical infrastructure

As the Australian Government works to establish our nation as a global leader in technology and innovation, it's equally focused on protecting our critical infrastructure and systems. This prioritisation is crucial given Australia experiences a higher than average rate of every type of cyber attack, including but not limited to data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, insider attacks and business email compromises. What’s more, 56% of Australian IT teams experience nation-state attacks compared to 39% globally. In this landscape, the digital resilience of our nation’s critical infrastructure is becoming increasingly paramount. Integrating observability into digital transformation strategies is not just a technological upgrade — it’s a necessity for national security and operational excellence.

Understanding observability

By now, organisations have learnt that observability is more than a buzzword. Instead, it’s a paradigm shift in how we approach systems monitoring and management. It goes beyond traditional monitoring, offering a comprehensive view of a system’s internal state through logs, metrics and traces. By analysing all three types of data, this holistic approach enables organisations to achieve full visibility across their tech stacks, empowering teams to detect and resolve issues before they escalate, ensuring the smooth operation of critical infrastructure.

Right now, IT teams are navigating a new frontier of technologies, threats and demands. They are pivoting too much between disparate security tools and battling issues with visibility across the attack surface. It’s no surprise then that Australian IT teams also cite problematic detection, with 50% saying a typical MTTD (mean time to detect) takes months compared to 19% globally. Observability is essential for solving this and maintaining the performance, reliability and security of the systems that underpin our economy and society.

Observability’s role in risk management

The state of security for Australian critical infrastructure providers presents significant challenges, particularly for the government. Citizens expect digital services to be of high quality, consistently available, fast and easy to use. Needless to say, safety of citizens is also at stake. However, the rapid changes in the threat landscape make it increasingly difficult for public sector organisations to keep pace with innovation and meet budget demands.

Maintaining public trust and national security is paramount, especially as the government is continually targeted by determined adversaries. This complex environment necessitates a robust approach to resilience and security to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure effectively. Observability provides the tools to detect anomalies and potential threats early, allowing for rapid response and mitigation.

This capability is also essential for complying with the stringent cybersecurity regulations outlined in the recent amendments to the 2018 SOCI Act. Fragmented and siloed data across organisational and service boundaries only limits visibility and collaboration, whereas coordinated cyber uplift programs focused on increased visibility and hardening seek to enhance cybersecurity posture. By leveraging observability, critical infrastructure providers can meet these regulatory requirements and protect essential services from disruption.

Observability enhances citizen experience

Observability can transform the management of critical infrastructure by providing unified visibility across diverse environments, including on-premises, hybrid and multi-cloud setups. This comprehensive view ensures that issues are identified and resolved quickly, minimising downtime and maintaining service continuity.

For example, consider a transport agency monitoring key road systems across Australia. By integrating observability into its digital strategy, it can gain greater visibility into overseeing its major roads, allowing for potentially capturing insights such as traffic conditions, road quality, impact of roadworks and driver behaviours. These insights help to improve citizen experience while ensuring the continuous delivery of critical services, thereby maintaining trust and national security.

Building a resilient framework

A resilient digital framework is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Creating a resilient framework for critical infrastructure requires a holistic approach that incorporates observability as a foundational element. Collaboration between IT operations, security teams, engineering teams and other stakeholders is essential to develop a cohesive strategy that supports best practice. By integrating observability, organisations can enhance risk management and security while also meeting regulatory requirements, driving innovation and enhancing overall citizen experience.

As Australia strives to become a leader in technology and innovation, observability can play a pivotal role in shaping a robust and secure landscape for Australia’s critical infrastructure. Embracing observability today will pave the way for a resilient, secure and innovative digital future. In an era where cyberthreats are increasingly sophisticated and downtime can cost millions, proactive risk management in the public sector is non-negotiable.

*Currently serving as the Head of Observability for ANZ and Japan at Splunk, Christine Low brings over two decades of strategic leadership and expertise in technology sales and business development across the APJC region. Previously, Christine held roles at Cisco, IBM, Logicalis, and Telstra, where she provided her expertise in partner ecosystem management, sales enablement, and solution development.

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