Australia Warns of Chinese Cyber Threats Targeting Telecoms and Critical Infrastructure

Australia’s top intelligence official has issued a stark warning about escalating cyber threats from Chinese state-backed hackers targeting the nation’s critical infrastructure and telecommunications networks.

Mike Burgess, Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), revealed that espionage and cyberattacks had cost Australia an estimated A$12.5 billion (US$8.1 billion) last year. This figure includes around A$2 billion in stolen trade secrets and intellectual property. Speaking at a business conference in Melbourne, Burgess underscored the growing danger posed by Chinese hacker groups such as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, which he described as operatives working for Chinese government intelligence and military agencies.

Burgess stated that Salt Typhoon, previously linked to major intrusions in U.S. telecommunications systems, had also been probing Australian networks. Similarly, Volt Typhoon was believed to have compromised U.S. critical infrastructure to prepare for potential sabotage operations, with evidence suggesting similar activities in Australia.

The ASIO chief warned that cyber sabotage could disrupt essential services such as telecommunications, banking, power, transport, and water supply—crippling the economy and daily life. “These are not hypotheticals,” Burgess cautioned. “Foreign governments have elite teams investigating these possibilities right now.”

China’s embassy in Australia has not responded to requests for comment, though Beijing has consistently denied involvement in hacking operations.

Burgess further noted that Chinese officials frequently lodge complaints to the Australian government and private sector whenever he publicly addresses the issue. “It won’t stop my resolve,” he affirmed during a recent speech at the Lowy Institute in Sydney.

Australia’s warning underscores the growing geopolitical tensions over cybersecurity, highlighting the urgent need for stronger national defenses against state-sponsored cyber threats.