Australia: Intelligence Chief Warns of Chinese Hackers

The head of Australia's intelligence agency ASIO has warned of massive cyber espionage activities by Chinese hacker groups against Australian telecommunications networks and critical infrastructure. As Mike Burgess explained at a conference in Melbourne, according to the US financial news agency Reuters, state-controlled actors are systematically probing the country's networks for vulnerabilities.

The Chinese government categorically rejects the allegations. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing described the accusations as “unfounded” and “politically motivated.” China rejects all forms of cyberattacks and is itself a victim of hacker activities.

Preparations for later?

Specifically, Burgess named the hacker groups Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, both attributed to the Chinese state. While Salt Typhoon specializes in telecommunications infrastructure and is said to have already successfully compromised networks of major providers in the US, Volt Typhoon primarily targets critical infrastructure such as energy suppliers, waterworks, and transport systems. The attackers thus gain access to systems without immediately sabotaging them – presumably to strike in the event of a crisis.

The warning from Australia fits into a global pattern. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) in Germany also recently emphasized in its situation report that Germany is among the top targets of state-controlled cyberattacks. BSI President Claudia Plattner warned of geopolitically motivated attacks on critical infrastructure and authorities.

In parallel, the European Union is intensifying its stance against Chinese network equipment suppliers. The EU Commission is pushing for a binding exclusion of Huawei and ZTE from European telecommunications networks. According to media reports, Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen wants to transform the previous recommendation into a legally binding obligation to enforce uniform security standards.

Indications of successful compromises

According to ASIO, there are concrete indications that Chinese hackers have already successfully penetrated Australian systems. Burgess did not provide details on the affected companies or the extent of the compromise for security reasons. However, the attackers gained access to sensitive areas and are meticulously spying on the networks.

Burgess appealed to Australian companies and authorities to massively strengthen their IT security. Specifically, ASIO recommends the introduction of multi-factor authentication, regular security checks, network segmentation, and continuous anomaly monitoring. Operators of critical infrastructure in particular should check their systems for possible compromises and update emergency plans.

(mki)