--- title: "CS4CA ANZ Summit 2027 — Perth | Model Diplomat" description: "CS4CA ANZ Summit 2027 is a professional conference in Perth, Australia, Feb 9–10, 2027. Organized by Inforisktoday. Full prep on Model Diplomat." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/conferences/professional/cs4ca-anz-summit-2027" --- # CS4CA ANZ Summit 2027 Feb 9–10, 2027[Perth, Australia](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1\&query=Perth%2C%20Australia)In-person [Registration open](https://www.inforisktoday.co.uk/events/cs4ca-anz-e-536) The CS4CA ANZ Summit 2027, taking place in Perth, Australia, is a dedicated forum addressing critical cybersecurity challenges and fostering collaboration within the region. This event brings together experts and stakeholders to discuss strategies and solutions for protecting digital infrastructure and data against evolving threats. Its focus on the Australia-New Zealand (ANZ) region highlights the shared security interests and interconnected digital landscapes of these nations. ## Committees & topics - Topics Cybersecurity in the Asia-Pacific Threat Landscape · Protection of Critical Infrastructure · Operational Technology (OT) Security · IT/OT Convergence · Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security · SCADA Systems Security · The Ransomware Threat · Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity ## Why it matters Cybersecurity has become a paramount concern for nations globally, and the [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia)-[New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) region is no exception. The increasing sophistication of cyber threats, ranging from state-sponsored attacks to organized cybercrime, necessitates robust defense mechanisms and proactive strategies. Events like the CS4CA ANZ Summit provide a crucial platform for knowledge exchange and the development of collective resilience against these pervasive dangers. The summit's emphasis on the ANZ region underscores the unique geopolitical and economic considerations that shape cybersecurity priorities in this part of the world. As digital transformation accelerates across industries, the protection of critical infrastructure, sensitive data, and national security interests becomes ever more vital. Collaborative efforts and shared best practices, as facilitated by this summit, are essential for maintaining a secure and stable digital environment. Furthermore, the discussions at the CS4CA ANZ Summit contribute to the broader international dialogue on cybersecurity governance and cooperation. By addressing regional challenges, participants also inform global approaches to cyber defense, incident response, and policy development. The insights gained and partnerships forged at such events are instrumental in strengthening the overall fabric of global cybersecurity. ## How to prepare Delegates preparing for the CS4CA ANZ Summit should focus on understanding the current cybersecurity landscape within AUS and the broader ANZ context. This includes familiarizing oneself with recent cyber incidents, policy developments, and key governmental or industry initiatives related to cyber defense. A strong grasp of the specific threats and vulnerabilities prevalent in the region will enable more effective engagement during discussions. To maximize participation, consider researching the various stakeholders involved in cybersecurity across the region. This includes government agencies, private sector organizations, and academic institutions. Understanding their respective roles and priorities, as outlined in the "what-is-stakeholder-mapping" lesson, can inform your contributions and networking efforts. Preparing specific questions or case studies related to your organization's experiences or interests can also facilitate more productive interactions. Furthermore, reviewing concepts related to "critical-information-infrastructure" and "critical-infrastructure-protection" from the glossary will be beneficial, as these are often central themes in regional cybersecurity dialogues. Thinking about potential "engagement-strategies" for cross-sector collaboration will also be valuable, as effective cybersecurity often relies on public-private partnerships. ## Country perspectives Where the most-relevant 2 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile. [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Actively seeking to enhance national cybersecurity capabilities and foster regional collaboration.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [As the host nation, AUS plays a central role in organizing and facilitating discussions at the summit. It is a key player in developing and implementing cybersecurity policies and strategies within the ANZ region, aiming to protect its digital economy and critical infrastructure. The summit provides a platform for AUS to showcase its advancements and collaborate with regional partners.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Committed to strengthening its cyber resilience and collaborating with regional partners on shared security challenges.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [NZL is a significant regional partner with shared cybersecurity interests with AUS. While not the host, its participation is crucial for discussions on regional cyber threats and collaborative defense strategies. NZL actively works to enhance its national cyber defenses and contributes to a collective regional security posture.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) ## Topics & background The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it. 1 ### Cybersecurity in the Asia-Pacific Threat Landscape Cybersecurity has evolved from a technical IT concern into a top-tier national security issue over the past two decades. Landmark incidents — the 2007 attacks on Estonia, Stuxnet's discovery in 2010, the 2017 WannaCry and NotPetya outbreaks, and the 2020 SolarWinds supply-chain compromise — demonstrated that state and criminal actors could disrupt economies, militaries, and essential services through code. In response, governments built national cyber agencies (e.g., Australia's ACSC, New Zealand's NCSC, the US CISA) and the UN's Open-Ended Working Group on ICTs began codifying norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace. In the ANZ region, cyber threats have surged alongside geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific. Australia's 2022 Optus and Medibank breaches exposed tens of millions of records and prompted reforms to the Privacy Act and the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act. New Zealand has tracked state-linked intrusions attributed publicly to actors such as APT40. The current debate centres on how to harden national resilience, coordinate threat intelligence across Five Eyes and regional partners, and establish enforceable consequences for malicious cyber activity below the threshold of armed conflict. Key players - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Regional cyber leader; operates ACSC and ASD, drives SOCI Act reforms.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Five Eyes partner; NCSC coordinates national cyber defence.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Sets allied cyber doctrine; CISA and NSA underpin intelligence sharing.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Frequently named by allied governments as origin of state-linked intrusion sets.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Source of major criminal and state-aligned cyber operations targeting the West.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [North Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) [Conducts financially motivated cyber operations, including against crypto and finance.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) 2 ### Protection of Critical Infrastructure Critical infrastructure — energy, water, transport, health, finance, telecommunications and food systems — underpins modern society, and its protection has become a defining policy challenge. The post-Cold War liberalisation of utilities placed much of this infrastructure in private hands, while digitalisation tied operational systems to the internet. Incidents such as the 2015 and 2016 attacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2021 Colonial Pipeline ransomware shutdown in the United States, and repeated intrusions into water utilities globally have shown that disruption of these assets can cascade into public-safety crises. In Australia and New Zealand, regulators have responded by expanding the scope of protected sectors and imposing positive security obligations on operators. Australia's amended SOCI Act now covers eleven sectors and grants government step-in powers during serious cyber incidents. New Zealand is consulting on a dedicated critical infrastructure resilience framework. Debate continues over the right balance between mandatory standards and industry-led approaches, how to manage foreign ownership and supply-chain risk (notably around telecommunications and ports), and how to fund resilience upgrades in long-lived legacy assets. Key players - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Operates expanded SOCI regime with government assistance powers.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Developing critical infrastructure resilience legislation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Sets benchmarks via CISA sector risk-management agencies and NIST.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [NPSA/NCSC model influential on ANZ infrastructure protection regimes.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Key Indo-Pacific partner advancing critical infrastructure cybersecurity cooperation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) 3 ### Operational Technology (OT) Security Operational Technology refers to the hardware and software that monitors or controls physical processes — turbines, pipelines, manufacturing lines, rail signalling, and building systems. Historically these environments were isolated, proprietary, and operated on decades-long lifecycles, with safety and availability prioritised over confidentiality. The discovery of Stuxnet in 2010, which sabotaged Iranian centrifuges, marked the first widely documented cyber-physical weapon and reframed OT as a legitimate target for state and criminal actors. Subsequent malware families — Industroyer, TRITON/TRISIS targeting safety instrumented systems, and Industroyer2 used against Ukraine — confirmed that adversaries are investing in capabilities tailored to industrial environments. For ANZ operators in mining, energy, utilities, ports and manufacturing, OT security is complicated by ageing equipment, vendor concentration, and a shortage of practitioners fluent in both engineering and cybersecurity. Standards such as IEC 62443, the NIST OT Security Guide (SP 800-82r3), and the ACSC's Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy provide reference frameworks. Current debates focus on secure-by-design procurement, asset visibility, segmentation from corporate IT, and how to conduct patching and incident response in environments where downtime can have safety consequences. Key players - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Major OT footprint in mining, LNG and utilities; ACSC issues OT-specific guidance.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [OT-heavy energy, dairy processing and port sectors driving resilience reform.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [CISA and NIST set globally referenced OT security standards.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Home to dominant OT vendors (Siemens) shaping global ICS practice.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [Israel](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Hub for OT/ICS security vendors and threat research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) 4 ### IT/OT Convergence For most of the industrial era, information technology (corporate networks, ERP, email) and operational technology (control systems running physical processes) lived in separate worlds, governed by different teams, vendors and risk models. The push for data-driven operations, predictive maintenance, cloud analytics and Industry 4.0 has steadily dissolved that boundary. Sensors stream telemetry to cloud platforms; remote access enables vendors to maintain equipment across borders; and historians feed business intelligence systems. This convergence delivers efficiency, but it also expands the attack surface — the 2021 Colonial Pipeline incident, where ransomware on the IT side forced a precautionary OT shutdown, became the canonical example. The core dispute today is governance: who owns risk when an IT compromise can halt physical production, and how to apply IT-style controls (patching cadences, EDR, identity management) in environments designed for determinism and uptime. Reference architectures such as the Purdue Model and zero-trust adaptations for OT are widely discussed but unevenly implemented. In ANZ, regulators and boards are pressing for unified cyber governance across IT and OT, integrated SOC visibility, and tighter control of remote access pathways used by OEMs and integrators. Key players - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Regulators push converged cyber governance under SOCI obligations.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Industrial operators piloting converged SOC and zero-trust OT models.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Vendor and standards leader; NIST CSF 2.0 and CISA shape convergence playbooks.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Industry 4.0 originator; pioneers connected manufacturing reference designs.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Major industrial automation vendor base advancing secure convergence.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) 5 ### Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security Industrial Control Systems encompass the PLCs, DCS, RTUs and HMIs that automate processes across electricity generation, water treatment, oil and gas, chemicals, transport and discrete manufacturing. Many deployed ICS components were designed in an era when network connectivity was minimal and authentication considered unnecessary; protocols such as Modbus, DNP3 and early OPC remain in widespread use without native security. Adversary tradecraft against ICS has matured from opportunistic intrusions to targeted campaigns, including BlackEnergy against the Ukrainian grid, TRITON against a Saudi petrochemical facility's safety system, and the PIPEDREAM/INCONTROLLER toolkit disclosed in 2022, which demonstrated cross-vendor capability against multiple PLC families. For the ANZ region, ICS risk is concentrated in resource extraction, electricity transmission, water utilities and food processing — sectors where downtime, contamination or safety failures carry national consequences. Policy debate focuses on mandatory asset inventories, secure-by-design requirements on vendors, vulnerability disclosure for ICS products, and workforce development. International coordination through ICS-CERT equivalents, the Five Eyes joint advisories, and ENISA in Europe is shaping common baselines, though enforcement and supply-chain transparency remain contested. Key players - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [ICS-heavy mining and energy sectors; ACSC issues joint ICS advisories.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Grid and water sector ICS modernisation underway.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [CISA leads global ICS advisory ecosystem; PIPEDREAM disclosures originated here.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Ukraine](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) [Real-world laboratory of state ICS attacks since 2015.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [State-linked groups (Sandworm, Xenotime) repeatedly tied to ICS-targeting malware.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) 6 ### SCADA Systems Security Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are the geographically distributed cousin of ICS: they aggregate telemetry from remote field assets — substations, pumping stations, pipelines, rail signals — and allow centralised operators to monitor and control them. SCADA's vulnerabilities became a public concern with the 2000 Maroochy Shire sewage incident in Queensland, in which a disgruntled contractor remotely released sewage, and were reinforced by the 2015 Ukraine grid attack, in which adversaries used legitimate SCADA functionality to open breakers across multiple oblasts. Modern SCADA increasingly rides on IP networks, cellular and even satellite links, with cloud-based historians and remote engineering workstations. This expands monitoring capability but also exposes long-lived RTUs and protocol gateways that lack modern authentication or encryption. Current debate in ANZ utilities centres on segmenting SCADA from enterprise networks, securing remote access for field engineers, monitoring east-west traffic between control centres and substations, and managing the cyber risk introduced by cellular IoT and LEO satellite backhaul. Regulators are pushing for SCADA-specific incident reporting, tabletop exercises, and resilience testing against scenarios involving simultaneous communications loss. Key players - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Site of the seminal Maroochy SCADA incident; major distributed utility SCADA estates.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Geographically dispersed grid and water SCADA exposed to remote-access risk.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Sets dominant SCADA vendor standards and threat intelligence baseline.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Ukraine](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) [Demonstrated impact of adversary use of legitimate SCADA functions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Major SCADA platform vendors (Siemens) shape global deployments.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) 7 ### The Ransomware Threat Ransomware has evolved from opportunistic consumer-grade extortion in the early 2010s into a multibillion-dollar criminal economy organised around ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS). The 2017 WannaCry and NotPetya outbreaks demonstrated systemic risk, while groups such as Conti, LockBit, BlackCat/ALPHV and Cl0p industrialised double- and triple-extortion — encrypting data, exfiltrating it for leverage, and threatening downstream victims. High-impact incidents include Colonial Pipeline (2021), JBS Foods (2021), the HSE Ireland health system (2021), and in Australia the 2022 Medibank and Optus-related extortion campaigns, which exposed personal data of millions and prompted significant policy response. Governments are now debating whether to ban ransom payments outright, impose mandatory reporting, and sanction cryptocurrency infrastructure that enables payouts. The International Counter Ransomware Initiative, co-led with strong Australian participation, has produced a non-payment pledge among member governments and a joint policy statement discouraging ransoms. Yet criminal groups continue to operate largely from jurisdictions outside Western legal reach, and victims — particularly SMEs and hospitals — face acute pressure to pay. The ANZ debate centres on payment bans, mandatory disclosure thresholds, victim support, and disruption operations targeting RaaS infrastructure. Key players - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Co-leads Counter Ransomware Initiative; introduced mandatory ransomware reporting.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Active CRI member coordinating victim notification and disruption.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Largest victim base; FBI and Treasury lead disruption and sanctions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Co-leads CRI policy pillar; NCA central to LockBit takedown operations.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Permissive jurisdiction for the majority of high-impact RaaS operators.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [North Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) [State-linked groups conduct ransomware for revenue generation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) 8 ### Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity Artificial intelligence has entered cybersecurity from both ends of the contest. Defenders have used machine learning for anomaly detection, malware classification and SOC triage for over a decade, and the rise of large language models since 2022 has accelerated automation of threat intelligence, code review, and incident response playbooks. Vendors now embed generative AI assistants into SIEM, EDR and identity platforms, promising relief from the chronic shortage of cyber analysts in markets like Australia and New Zealand. At the same time, attackers use the same tools to generate convincing phishing in local idiom, produce deepfake audio and video for fraud and influence operations, and accelerate vulnerability discovery and exploit development. The core dispute is how to govern AI's dual use: how to evaluate AI security products beyond marketing claims, how to secure the AI systems themselves (against prompt injection, model theft, data poisoning and supply-chain compromise of model weights), and how to set international norms before capability outpaces regulation. The Bletchley and Seoul AI Safety Summits, the EU AI Act, the US Executive Order and subsequent rescissions, and Australia's voluntary AI Safety Standard all contribute to a fragmented governance picture. ANZ debate increasingly focuses on sovereign AI capability, secure adoption in critical infrastructure, and the cyber risks introduced when AI is embedded into OT and decision-support systems. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Home of leading frontier AI labs and AI-security product ecosystem.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Major AI capability; named in allied advisories on AI-enabled cyber operations.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Convened first AI Safety Summit; AISI leads model evaluation work.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Developing voluntary and mandatory AI guardrails; integrating AI into ACSC operations.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Aligning AI assurance with Five Eyes and OECD principles.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [Israel](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Significant exporter of AI-driven cyber defence and offensive technologies.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) ## Resources News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for CS4CA ANZ Summit 2027. Recent reporting to ground your prep [Supreme Court Upholds Election Commission Dis](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/supreme-court-keeps-election-commission-control-fight-alive) [Trump's Federal Election Strategy](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/trumps-federal-election-strategy-control-before-2026-midterms) [Arming an archipelago: Is time running out for Europe's oldest DMZ? | Euronews](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/ala-arming-an-archipelago-is-time-running-out-for-europes-oldest-dmz-euronews) [Comprehensive approach to security: Federal Council launches consultation on Switzerland's security policy strategy](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/che-comprehensive-approach-to-security-federal-council-launches-consultation-on) Lessons Bite-sized lessons to build the basics [Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders) [Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies) [Dynamic Analysis](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/dynamic-analysis) [Stakeholder Mapping Workshop](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/stakeholder-workshop) Courses Guided courses that go deeper on the topic [Advanced Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/advanced-negotiation) [Multilateral Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/multilateral-negotiation) [Policy Brief Writing](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/policy-brief) [Conflict Resolution](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/conflict-resolution) The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [North Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Israel](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Ukraine](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) ## Frequently asked questions - - - Free account Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free. 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