Australia’s intelligence agency has accused “Chinese hackers” of seeking to gain access to critical infrastructure assets, including telecommunications networks.
In a speech to a business forum in Melbourne, the director general of the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation, Mike Burgess, said the nation now faced a threat of “high-impact sabotage”.
Burgess referenced the activities of two hacking units known as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, which he said were “working for the Chinese government and their military”. He said the groups had successfully targeted the United States.
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“Salt Typhoon’s intent was espionage – they penetrated the United States’ telecommunications system to gain access to the nation’s communications through a strategic spying operation,” Burgess said.
“We have seen Chinese hackers probing our critical infrastructure as well.”
Burgess said Volt Typhoon’s intent was to compromise American critical infrastructure networks to “pre-position for potential sabotage”.
“The penetrations gave China the ability to turn off telecommuncations and other critical infrastructure,” Burgess said. “And yes, we have seen Chinese hackers probing our critical infrastructure as well.”
Burgess did not say which Chinese units had allegedly targeted Australian infrastructure and whether they had gained access.
“Once access is gained – the network is penetrated – what happens next is a matter of intent not capability,” Burgess said.
“I don’t think we – and I mean all of us – truly appreciate how disruptive, how devastating this could be.”
Burgess said targeted infrastructure assets among western allies also included transport, water and energy networks.
The Chinese embassy was contacted for a response.
The Chinese infiltration of US telecommunications systems late last year by Salt Typhoon was described as the worst hack in American history.
The hack infiltrated dozens of US telecoms companies and implicated the data of senior political figures – including the president-elect, Donald Trump; the incoming vice-president, JD Vance; and Kamala Harris, the defeated Democratic presidential candidate.
Earlier this year, Burgess said the “espionage-enabled sabotage of critical infrastructure” could cost the Australian economy more than $1bn. He estimated the cost could rise to $6bn if the disruption lasted for one week.
Burgess also outlined previously unreported instances of alleged espionage targeting Australian corporations.
The director general accused unnamed “nation state hackers” of stealing commercially sensitive information from a major Australian exporter, providing a significant advantage in subsequent contract negotiations.
“In another case, they stole the blueprints of an Australian innovation and mass-produced cheap knock-offs that nearly bankrupted the innovator,” Burgess said.
“A visiting academic with links to a foreign government broke into a restricted technology laboratory and filmed its contents.”
Burgess also told the forum, organised by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, that his agency was “tracking a troubling increase in anarchist and revolutionary extremism, often targeting industry”.
“Since October ’23, anti-Israel activists have increasingly used disruptive tactics such as arson, vandalism and violent protests targeting companies accused of providing weapons components,” Burgess said.
“Rapid advances in technology are incubating and accelerating these security concerns.”
