Education Minister Dan Tehan is organising a briefing for vice chancellors from the Defence Signals Directorate

DSD will “update” them on cyber security risks and advice on strengthening security.

“Universities have a responsibility to their students and staff to have the strongest defences in place (they) are high-value targets for malicious cyber attackers because of the valuable intellectual property and personal information they hold,” the minister says.

Any university leader who mistakes the minister’s assistance for a denial of status attack might want to consider the security breach of data covering 19 years at ANU and the way the University of Queensland’s internet was interfered with last week.