China-backed hackers target Australia’s critical infrastructure

Australia's intelligence chief Mike Burgess has raised alarms about China-backed hackers targeting the country's critical infrastructure, potentially leading to severe consequences for the nation's energy and water supplies, as reported by TechCrunch.

Burgess revealed that Chinese government-backed hacker groups, including Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon, are actively probing and gaining access to critical infrastructure networks in Australia. The hacking attempts, focused on power, water, and transportation systems, could result in widespread outages and disruptions.

The cybersecurity implications of these attacks extend beyond Australia, with the U.S. highlighting concerns about potential cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. The infiltration of telecoms infrastructure by Salt Typhoon raises further security concerns, prompting the FBI to advise the public to use encrypted messaging apps.

Source: TechCrunch