SOCI Act: Navigating Cybersecurity Requirements Across 11 Key Industries

In the increasing digitisation of essential services, governments worldwide have been enacting legislation to ensure the protection of vital systems. Australia is like no other, and as we in cybersecurity are all aware, the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (SOCI Act) stands as a crucial piece of legislation aimed at safeguarding our nation.

The SOCI Act mandates that certain entities, including large enterprise organisations, adhere to stringent security measures to protect critical infrastructure sectors such as communications, energy, finance, healthcare, transportation, and more. Compliance with the SOCI Act is a legal requirement with stringent reporting protocols—and large penalties if compliance is not met. 

One key aspect of achieving compliance with the SOCI Act is leveraging advanced security technologies that can address the unique needs and challenges faced by different industry verticals. One such option is to deploy secure access service edge (SASE) and security service edge (SSE), offered by leading providers like Netskope. Let’s explore how these industries have unique requirements to comply with the SOCI Act and how a SASE and SSE solution can provide assistance:

1. Communications:

The communications sector thrives on secure and resilient infrastructure due to its interconnected 24x7x365 nature. Netskope’s SASE-based technology ensures resilient and secure digital services that help maintain business continuity in the event of disruption, external threat, and internal take-over.

2. Data Storage or Processing:

For industries emphasising secure data storage and processing like government and healthcare, Netskope provides cloud security solutions. Their data loss prevention (DLP) policies prevent data leakage of top-tier confidential sources, such as national security data, and enforce the principle of least privilege, supporting compliance and operational continuity.

3. Defence:

In the defence sector, national security considerations demand protection against cyber threats and malicious actors. Netskope’s SASE integration ensures secure access, identifies malicious user behaviour, and prevents data leakage, bolstered by the Zero Trust engine, maintaining the integrity of defence systems.

4. Energy:

Critical infrastructure in the energy sector requires protection against cyber threats for seamless operations especially through the convergence of Operational Technology (often used on physical assets of the energy grid) and Information Technology. Netskope safeguards energy infrastructure, aligning with the SOCI Act to ensure security in digital environments, and supporting supply chain resilience.

5. Financial Services and Markets:

Protection of financial data and secure transactions is paramount for market stability and commerce across the country. Netskope’s DLP safeguards financial data, supporting compliance with data protection regulations, while SASE protects against myriad cyber threats, ensuring business continuity and the ability for businesses and consumers to access money in digital and physical environments.

6. Food and Grocery:

Securing supply chain communication, processing, and data sharing is crucial in the food and grocery sector to ensure adequate food supply to cities and communities. Netskope enhances alerting and policy breach notifications, in particular from third-party suppliers through the supply chain, facilitating prompt responses to incidents in compliance with the SOCI Act as well as continuity of delivery and production service. 

7. Healthcare and Medical:

With sensitive patient data and life-saving systems at stake, the healthcare sector requires stringent security measures across a vast attack surface. Netskope’s DLP ensures compliance with healthcare data protection regulations, while SASE integration enables secure access to healthcare systems both in the cloud and in physical healthcare environments (such as life support machines), ensuring operational resilience.

8. Higher Education and Research:

Protecting research data and communication channels is vital for educational institutions. Netskope secures research data and digital channels through cloud security and cyber threat protection, ensuring that data cannot be exfiltrated or embedded with malware as well as supporting compliance with the SOCI Act.

9. Space Technology:

Secure transmission of critical data for space missions and protection of space technology infrastructure is paramount for the advancement of Australia’s scientific sector and collaboration with international space agency’s. Netskope ensures the security and integrity of digital environments in the space sector through secure cloud access, cloud data storage, and integration across multiple assets used in space technology. 

10. Transport:

Transportation infrastructure requires secure communication networks and protection against cyber threats for uninterrupted operations similar to the Food and Grocery supply chain. Netskope ensures secure digital communication channels for multi-vendor integrated transport systems, including rail, train, and flight, complying with the SOCI Act.

11. Water and Sewerage:

Protecting critical infrastructure in water and sewerage systems is essential for urban provisions and the maintenance of hygienic environments. Netskope safeguards water and sewerage systems from cyber threats through operational technology protection across a vast geographic dispersion of water assets, this ensures water service continuity and operational resilience.

Compliance with the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act is indispensable for large enterprise organisations across diverse sectors to ensure the security and continuity of vital services. 

Leveraging advanced technologies like SASE and SSE, exemplified by Netskope, can significantly aid in achieving compliance while addressing the unique challenges faced by different industries. By prioritising cybersecurity and regulatory compliance, organisations can contribute to the overall safety and stability of Australia’s critical infrastructure landscape.

Want to know how we help enterprises in your industry to meet SOCI?

• To understand what compliance standards Netskope achieves, please visit here.
• To understand how our platform protects complex cloud workloads, visit here.

Ready to ensure your organisation’s compliance with the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act? Access our comprehensive SOCI Compliance Rapid Review Guide for Cyber Security Managers now to safeguard critical assets and mitigate cyber risks effectively.