The Australasian Higher Education Cybersecurity Service (AHECS) is the higher education and research sectors peak cybersecurity body. AHECS represents the sector on cybersecurity issues, leveraging the capabilities and expertise of its partner entities to strengthen the overall cybersecurity posture of the sector.
AHECS is delivered in collaboration with Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet), AusCERT, Council of Australasian University Directors of Information Technology (CAUDIT), Research and Education Advanced Network New Zealand (REANNZ), and the Australian Access Federation (AAF). This collaboration illustrates a joint approach by higher education institutes and key supply chain partners including the sectors internet service provider (both Australian and New Zealand), federation provider, and cyber emergency response team.
AHECS’s purpose is aligned to the principles of being stronger together and ‘all boats lift on a rising tide’. AHECS was developed specifically for the sector by the sector, to collectively mature the sectors capabilities and continuously evolve and strengthen cybersecurity defences in the ever-changing environment of cybersecurity threats. This is achieved through coordination of members and partners to inform direction, advocate, share intelligence, reduce barriers to the implementation of good practice, identify and act on capability gaps, and holistically defend the sector from continuously evolving cyber security threats in conjunction with key vendors.
