Russia expected to increase cyber assaults over Australia’s support for Ukraine

Australia cyber security and intelligence agencies are bracing themselves for an onslaught. See what they fear is coming.

Russia is expected to launch a menacing campaign of cyber assaults on Australia’s critical infrastructure services and defence supply chains in 2023 in retaliation for our support of Ukraine.

But in a defiant smackdown, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neill has warned “watch out” as she confirms countermeasures to block “nefarious cyber activity” had already been launched.

Last week former Russian president now deputy head of the Kremlin’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev formally declared Australia “our enemy” for its support of Ukraine.

His declaration came as the Australian Signals Directorate confirmed well financed and staffed State-based actors had shown a sophistication and capability to attack Australia’s infrastructure, notably the energy sector.

Intelligence has pointed to an “increased systemic risk” to critical infrastructure, services and systems as global geopolitical and economic pressures mount not just with Russia but also China and Iran.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neill has warned Russia to “watch out”, amid concerns a campaign of cyber assaults are planned this year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Yesterday Ms O’Neill reiterated Australia was ready to hit back at whoever sought to cause a crisis here and had already launched counter offensive operations.

“Australia is standing up and punching back against Russian gangs and thugs and anyone else who is trying to steal our data,” she told News Corp Australia.

“This operation is prioritising targets based on the harm they can cause and the threat they pose to our national interests, complementing the work we do with our international partners and allies.”

The harm was ransomware cyber threat groups as well as hacks designed for disruption or stealing critical information.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or what the information might be, if information belonging to Australians has been stolen by Russian gangs or thugs or anyone else then our message to them is – watch out,” she said.

“We will be hunting these gangs around the world and disrupting the activities of these people. The smartest and toughest people in our country are going to hack the hackers.”

Optus data was breached in 2022.

A cyber attack on Medibank exposed the data of around 9.7 million current and former customers and some of their authorised representatives. Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg via Getty Images

She added there were two increasing threats the nation was facing, beyond the criminal Medibank and Optus type cyber hacking campaign.

“I think it’s more nefarious than that, I think there’s distraction but then there’s very much potential futures where cyber attacks are part of conflict and that’s what we really need to be preparing for,” Ms O’Neill said.

“There is a consumer focused cyber story about people but then there’s a bigger picture here about conflict that’s more concerning probably in the long run for the country.”

Ms O’Neill said by collecting intelligence to identify ringleaders, networks and infrastructure, the counter offensive would attempt to disrupt and stop their operations “regardless of where they are”.

Home Affairs would in the new year host a virtual meeting with overseas counterparts, notably the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, to drive co-operation in the cyber offensive.

Originally published as Russia expected to increase cyber assaults over Australia’s support for Ukraine