Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil says banks, telcos and technology providers need to do more to help small business and consumers fight off growing cybercrime, pledging landmark new legislation will better protect the Australian economy from rising threats.

Weeks after intelligence agencies revealed Beijing’s sustained cyber espionage was in part linked to computers and other devices running with common vulnerabilities as mundane as outdated software, O’Neil told The Australian Financial Review she wants tech vendors and Australian companies to do more to help educate customers and staff about “eat your vegetables” protection.