Cyber security, or e-security, involves the protection, monitoring and authentication of online information against unauthorised access, disclosure, transfer, modification or use.

According to a survey of executive opinion in the 2009 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, Australia was ranked 13th out of 57 economies for the degree to which cyber security is being addressed by corporations. Australia is an early adopter of security technologies, and businesses are supported by excellent ICT infrastructure and progressive government policy in their efforts to safeguard online information. As a result, Australian companies involved in e-security innovation operate at the forefront of fields such as cryptography, biometric technology and fraud detection. In fact, Australian cryptographers were among the first in the world to develop products that can secure Internet communications from any location.

Companies operating in Australia's flourishing cyber security industry, including IBM, Symantec and Sophos, are supported by a growing number of security specialists graduating from local universities.