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The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has released its annual cyber threat report, highlighting the evolving threat landscape and the need for organisations to remain vigilant.
According to the report, there has been a significant increase in cyber incidents targeting Australian organisations over the past year. These incidents range from simple website defacements to sophisticated data breaches.
One of the most notable trends is cyber criminals’ increasing use of ransomware. Ransomware is malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands a ransom payment to decrypt them. This trend has been fuelled by the growth of cryptocurrency, which allows criminals to receive payments anonymously.
“Malicious cyber criminals are escalating their attacks on Australians. We need all Australians to be vigilant by taking simple cyber security steps, including using strong passphrases, enabling two-factor authentication, updating software and devices, and maintaining regular data backups, as well as being on guard against malicious emails and texts,” said The Hon Andrew Hastie MP, the Assistant Minister for Defence.
In the 2020–21 reporting period, the ACSC has received over 22,000 cyber security concerns, amounting to 310% from the previous year. These incidents spanned different sectors, with the Commonwealth government being the most affected, with reports accumulating 19.5% of the total report.
The top 10 sectors most targeted by cyberattacks are as follows:
- Commonwealth government: 19.5%
- State, territory, and local government: 15.2%
- Professional, scientific, and technical services: 9.7%
- Healthcare and social assistance: 7.3%
- Education and training: 6.2%
- Information media and telecommunications: 5.6%
- Financial and insurance services: 4%
- Retail trade: 4%
- Construction: 3%
- Manufacturing: 3.7%
“Approximately one-quarter of reported cyber security incidents affected critical infrastructure organisations, including essential services that all Australians require, such as education, communications, electricity, water, and transport,” added Assistant Minister Hastie.
Organisations need to be aware of these threats and take steps to protect themselves. This includes implementing solid cyber security defences and having a comprehensive incident response plan. They should also ensure that their employees are trained in cybersecurity best practices.
Cyber is the new battleground; as the threat landscape continues to evolve, it must take action now.
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