Australia's top intelligence official has issued a stark warning about the growing threat of cyber attacks targeting the nation's essential services, directly attributing the campaign to Chinese state-sponsored hackers.
Critical Infrastructure Under Threat
Mike Burgess, the director-general of the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (Asio), revealed that Australia now faces a genuine threat of 'high-impact sabotage' from sophisticated cyber operations. The warning came during a significant address to business leaders in Melbourne, where Burgess outlined the alarming scale of the cybersecurity challenge.
The intelligence chief specifically identified two hacking units known as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, which he confirmed are 'working for the Chinese government and their military'. Both groups have demonstrated their capabilities through successful operations against the United States, raising concerns about similar attacks on Australian systems.
Espionage and Sabotage Operations
According to Burgess, the two Chinese hacking units have distinct but equally dangerous objectives. Salt Typhoon's primary focus is espionage, having successfully penetrated United States telecommunications systems to conduct strategic spying operations.
More alarmingly, Volt Typhoon appears to be preparing for potential sabotage by compromising American critical infrastructure networks. Burgess explained that these penetrations could give China the ability to 'turn off telecommunications and other critical infrastructure' at will.
The Asio director-general confirmed that Australian systems have faced similar probing attempts, stating unequivocally: 'We have seen Chinese hackers probing our critical infrastructure as well.'
Capability Versus Intent
Burgess emphasised the seriousness of the situation by highlighting that once cyber attackers gain access to critical networks, the potential damage becomes a matter of intent rather than capability. He expressed deep concern that the public may not fully appreciate how disruptive and devastating such attacks could be to national security and daily life.
While Burgess did not specify which Chinese units had targeted Australian infrastructure or whether they had successfully gained access, his warnings represent one of the most direct public attributions of cyber threats to China by an Australian security official.
The revelations come amid growing international concerns about state-sponsored cyber operations targeting essential services, including power grids, water systems, and communication networks that form the backbone of modern society.
