Australia Warns Of A Jump In Iran-Sponsored Cyberattacks

Australia says cyberattacks by state-sponsored groups from China, Russia and Iran have grown significantly, estimating that one attack occurs every seven minutes.

In a report published on Friday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) received 76,000 cybercrime reports last financial year, up 13 percent from the previous corresponding period.

Describing the attacks as a "huge wake-up call," he said they have made cyberspace a “battleground.” "It's a huge wakeup call, and companies need to get their act together...we need to do much better," he said, adding that "The government has stepped up, the private sector needs to step up in the interest of their customers but also their own interest."

Business losses attributable to cybercrime rose on average 14 percent over the period, with the average crime costing a small business A$39,000 ($24,540).

“It’s not just about the frauds or the texts that you or I might receive, but real issues around the security of our country going forward,” Cybersecurity Minister Clare O’Neil said in reference to the report. “It is a national security focus of the government.”

As part of efforts to intensify reactions to cyber threats by the Islamic Republic, the FBI warned late in October that the Iranian cyber group Emennet Pasargad is conducting hack-and-leak operations involving a combination of hacking and theft of data. In November 2021, the Treasury Department sanctioned six Iranian officials as well as the company for their involvement in the planned cyberattack.