Australians urged to fight back against cyberattacks

The Australian Government and even the corporate world should have legal backing to retaliate against online attacks, according to a cybersecurity report released on Friday. Counter-attack

"Domestic law needs to be reviewed so that agencies and corporations can engage in active defence," said Gary Waters, a former Air Commodore and co-author of the Kokoda Foundation report, which was released on Friday. "We need to be able to say my critical infrastructure is off-limits and if you hammer me I will hammer you back."

"Nation-states under cyber attack have a right to attack — arguing what that is precisely needs to occur." Counter-attacks would act as a deterrent to online attacks sponsored by the governments of other countries, Waters said, much as attacks work in traditional warfare.

For more on this story, read Eye for an eye: govt urged to strike back on ZDNet Australia.