Cyber security expert Eugene Kaspersky says cyber 'hactivists' the greatest threat at next year's G20 Summit

CYBER spies loom as the biggest security threat at next year's G20 summit in Brisbane, according to one of the world's leading security experts.

Security Conference

INTERNATIONAL cyber spies loom as one of the biggest security threats at next year's G20 summit in Brisbane, according to one of the world's leading security experts.

Eugene Kaspersky, once voted the world's most powerful security executive, said espionage was a very real risk at the G20, to be held in November next year.

In 2011, more than 150 French finance ministry computers were affected by an electronic attack targeting the G20 in Paris.

Chinese spies were blamed for the scandal as investigators traced the attack back to Chinese computer servers, but nothing was ever proven.

On the Gold Coast yesterday for the annual AusCERT security conference, Mr Kaspersky said electronic attacks could wreak havoc at G20.

"Everything is at risk," he said.

"The threat of espionage attacks on high-profile summits (such as the G20) is very real. Critical infrastructure, computer systems, it is a very serious situation."

Security at the Brisbane G20, set to feature some of the world's most powerful leaders, will be amongst the most stringent for any event ever held in Australia.

More than 5000 police officers, including special covert surveillance teams, will be on duty throughout the summit.

However, Mr Kaspersky said governments were yet to recognise how much damage computer terrorists and "hactivists" could inflict.

"They have other issues which they see as more critical, but cyber risks are getting more and more. Human nature shows they do not pay enough attention to the problem until there is a catastrophe."

He pointed to recent black-outs and internet meltdowns in the US and Europe as examples where criminals could cause major disruptions.

However, he was heartened to see the British government invest heavily in defences against computer crime in the lead-up to last year's London Olympics.

That followed the massive espionage scandal rocking the 2011 G20 in Paris.

Internationally, many governments remain paranoid about espionage and spies stealing top-level government secrets.

Just this month, a US embassy staff member in Moscow was arrested on suspicion of espionage activities.

The lead-up to the 2010 G20 summit in Canada also saw massive spy operations involving police and uncover agents targeting potential agitators in the months before the Ontario forum.