Growing up on a small farm between Young and Cowra, New South Wales, Darumbal man Robert saw first-hand how people in rural and regional communities often lack access to clear, practical information about emerging risks.
When he later led cyber threat intelligence teams for major organisations he found the same gap persisted: friends, family, and small-business owners still lacked clear, jargon-free cyber information.
To close this gap, he created Cyber News Live, a news and education service that translates cybersecurity risks into plain language.
Through CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Cybersecurity program, Robert refined the platform’s research and development (R&D) roadmap and began developing artificial intelligence (AI) powered tools to help users stay one step ahead.
About Cyber News Live
Cyber News Live delivers clear, jargon-free advice to help people stay safe online.
"Our goal is to inform readers and give them practical steps they can take to protect themselves," said Robert.
"By understanding current threats, they can improve their security and lower their risk of becoming cybercrime victims."
The platform integrates with popular news sites and social media feeds, letting users see cybersecurity updates alongside their regular content – no extra app needed.
Personalised settings let each user prioritise the topics that matter most.
Building cybersecurity communities
Cyber News Live does more than share plain-language news: it offers coaching and mentoring for Indigenous and regional Australians.
Robert introduced an internship pathway that bridges participants into cybersecurity careers, focusing on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and cyber threat intelligence (CTI) through on-the-job training and industry work experience.
"Community is central to everything we do,” Robert said. “We're creating a space where people can share experiences, ask questions, and support one another. Together, we can make the internet safer for everyone."
Innovate to Grow
Robert joined CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Cybersecurity program to refine Cyber News Live’s R&D roadmap.
"We set out to create a minimum viable product powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML),” Robert said.
Guided by expert mentors, he used Innovate to Grow’s evidence-based frameworks to test assumptions, validate target markets and sharpen product features.
“Innovate to Grow structured our R&D and helped us focus scarce resources on the prototypes with the biggest impact,” he added.
Although Robert completed the program while working in the United States, virtual collaboration ran seamlessly thanks to its strong support systems.
After the program, he gained further assistance through a STEM student consulting project with partner Practera, uncovering grant opportunities and strengthening Cyber News Live’s funding strategy.
Looking ahead
Cyber News Live is expanding beyond written articles, and the industry is taking notice.
Recently, Robert was recognised as NVTC Cyber50 honouree by the Northern Virginia Technology Council for his impact on cybersecurity.
“Integrating AI and ML is central to our five-year roadmap,” Robert said. “We’re building algorithms that flag emerging threats and filter the noise, so users only get the updates that matter.”
Armed with knowledge from the Innovate to Grow program, the team is well placed to deliver clear, accessible cyber intelligence to everyone, no technical background required.
Robert and his team continue to expand Cyber News Live beyond articles.
Growing up on a small farm between Young and Cowra, New South Wales, Darumbal man Robert saw first-hand how people in rural and regional communities often lack access to clear, practical information about emerging risks.
When he later led cyber threat intelligence teams for major organisations he found the same gap persisted: friends, family, and small-business owners still lacked clear, jargon-free cyber information.
To close this gap, he created Cyber News Live, a news and education service that translates cybersecurity risks into plain language.
Through CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Cybersecurity program, Robert refined the platform’s research and development (R&D) roadmap and began developing artificial intelligence (AI) powered tools to help users stay one step ahead.
About Cyber News Live
Cyber News Live delivers clear, jargon-free advice to help people stay safe online.
"Our goal is to inform readers and give them practical steps they can take to protect themselves," said Robert.
"By understanding current threats, they can improve their security and lower their risk of becoming cybercrime victims."
The platform integrates with popular news sites and social media feeds, letting users see cybersecurity updates alongside their regular content – no extra app needed.
Personalised settings let each user prioritise the topics that matter most.
Building cybersecurity communities
Cyber News Live does more than share plain-language news: it offers coaching and mentoring for Indigenous and regional Australians.
Robert introduced an internship pathway that bridges participants into cybersecurity careers, focusing on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and cyber threat intelligence (CTI) through on-the-job training and industry work experience.
"Community is central to everything we do,” Robert said. “We're creating a space where people can share experiences, ask questions, and support one another. Together, we can make the internet safer for everyone."
Innovate to Grow
Robert joined CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Cybersecurity program to refine Cyber News Live’s R&D roadmap.
"We set out to create a minimum viable product powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML),” Robert said.
Guided by expert mentors, he used Innovate to Grow’s evidence-based frameworks to test assumptions, validate target markets and sharpen product features.
“Innovate to Grow structured our R&D and helped us focus scarce resources on the prototypes with the biggest impact,” he added.
Although Robert completed the program while working in the United States, virtual collaboration ran seamlessly thanks to its strong support systems.
After the program, he gained further assistance through a STEM student consulting project with partner Practera, uncovering grant opportunities and strengthening Cyber News Live’s funding strategy.
Looking ahead
Cyber News Live is expanding beyond written articles, and the industry is taking notice.
Recently, Robert was recognised as NVTC Cyber50 honouree by the Northern Virginia Technology Council for his impact on cybersecurity.
“Integrating AI and ML is central to our five-year roadmap,” Robert said. “We’re building algorithms that flag emerging threats and filter the noise, so users only get the updates that matter.”
Armed with knowledge from the Innovate to Grow program, the team is well placed to deliver clear, accessible cyber intelligence to everyone, no technical background required.
Robert and his team continue to expand Cyber News Live beyond articles.