Australian cyber agency says outages will rise as defenses tighten

The Australian Signals Directorate told the public to expect more interruptions to essential online services. The agency stated that securing systems must take priority over maintaining constant access. This means services may be taken offline while security work is performed.

In its annual cyber threat report released Monday, ASD reported handling 1,500 cybersecurity incidents during 2025-26. This represents a 20% increase over the previous year. The agency also notified external organizations, including businesses and government bodies, of more than 4,400 potentially malicious incidents. That notification figure rose by 80% in one year.

The report attributed the rise in threats to hostile foreign governments, criminals, and hackers using artificial intelligence. These actors use AI to collect intelligence, interfere with critical infrastructure, and steal money. ASD noted that state-based actors from the Indo-Pacific region may be conducting attacks to prepare for future conflicts. These activities include intelligence gathering and disruption.

Abigail Bradshaw, the ASD director general, said Australia must accelerate improvements to its technology and cybersecurity foundations. She called for AI tools to automate defensive work. This would help organizations keep ahead of attackers who use the same technology. Bradshaw previously discussed ASD’s access to Anthropic’s Mythos model. The developer said the model could not be released publicly because it can identify previously unknown flaws in IT systems.

Government officials emphasized the need for stronger protections. Defence minister Richard Marles urged Australians to improve their defenses while utilizing AI. Home affairs and cybersecurity minister Tony Burke said the government is preparing for the threats and opportunities of emerging technologies. Both Bradshaw and Marles stated that security should come before keeping systems online.

ASD identified ageing technology as a major vulnerability. Systems and devices whose makers no longer provide updates are attractive targets for hackers. Last week, newly identified weaknesses in PHP, the programming language used by most websites, prompted a rush to address the problem. ASD urged organizations to keep systems updated and report suspicious incidents.

The agency advised seeking its assistance for incident response. Organizations are expected to adopt advanced AI models for defense. These tools help identify vulnerabilities and detect suspicious activity. The priority remains on securing the network before restoring full public access.