The Australian government revealed that the country has experienced “sophisticated” cyberattacks by an unnamed “state-based cyber actor” targeting the public and private sectors.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement about the attack during a news conference in Canberra on Friday.
“This activity is targeting Australian organizations across a range of sectors, including all levels of government, industry, political organizations, education, health, essential service providers, and operators of other critical infrastructure,” he said.
When asked which country the attack came from, the prime minister declined to say.
“What I simply can confirm is there are not a large number of state-based actors that can engage in this type of activity, he said. “It is clear based on the advice that we have received that this has been done by a state-based actor with very, very significant capabilities.”
So far, China has denied being behind the hack attempts.
Morrison spoke with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the attack Thursday and is seeking cooperation from fellow members of the Five Eyes intelligence partnership, an alliance that includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Morrison is urging Australians to take extra precautions in protecting themselves against cyberattacks.
