Australian Government and private sector hit by massive cyber attack

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The Prime Minister of Australia called a snap TV media Announcement to report that businesses need to be extra vigilant with their firewalls and data security. He said that it was a 'state based' attack, (meaning one country is behind the attack).

He was specifically asked if he knew who it was. He would not comment. The reporter asked if it was China, (as there have been trade tensions since the Covid-19 saga), but he did not elaborate.

 

Here is the story:

 

JUNE 19, 2020 9:26AM

Australia is currently being hit with a massive cyber attack by a “sophisticated, state-based cyber actor”, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says.

“This activity is targeting Australian organisations across a range of sectors, including all levels of government, industry, political organisations, education, health, essential service providers and operators of other critical infrastructure,” Mr Morrison told reporters Canberra.

 

“We know it is a sophisticated, state-based cyber actor because of the scale and nature of the targeting and the tradecraft used. Regrettably, this activity is not new. Frequency has been increasing.”

 

https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/hacking/australian-government-and-private-sector-reportedly-hit-by-massive-cyber-attack/news-story/b570a8ab68574f42f553fc901fa7d1e9

 

 

 

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Edited June 18, 2020 by Maʹher-shalʹal-hash-baz
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[Tortuga]

Thanks Tony, ummm...I'm sure this is you, but do you mind saying Shibboleth? 

[New World Explorer]

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that his country has been targeted by a large-scale cyber attack seeking to disrupt the work of the government as well as the operations of essential services providers.

"We know it is a sophisticated state-based cyber actor because of the scale and nature of the targeting," Morrison said, addressing the nation on Friday morning local time.

Morrison did not point the finger at any particular country that might have been behind the cyber attack, which he said was designed to bring the operation of the government as a whole to a halt, as well as to cripple the work of health, education and other essential services providers.

"Australia doesn’t engage lightly in public attributions and when and if we choose to do so is always done in the context of what we believe to be in our strategic national interests," he told reporters. “What I can confirm is there are not a large number of state-based actors that can engage in this type of activity and it is clear, based on the advice that we have received, that this has been done by a State-based actor, with very significant capabilities.”

Morrison refused to speculate about possible motivation of the hackers.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Linda Reynolds has called on all Australian businesses to update their protective software and secure their internet access amid the alleged cyberattack.

While Morrison refused to assign any blame just yet, the Australian media have been rife with speculations that China might be where the attack had originated.https://www.rt.com/news/492306-australia-cyber-attack-state-actor/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

[New World Explorer]

6 hours ago, Maʹher-shalʹal-hash-baz said:

This activity is targeting Australian organisations across a range of sectors, including all levels of government, industry, political organisations, education, health, essential service providers and operators of other critical infrastructure,”

Can I claim that my electricity bill was tempered with? LOL 

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I wonder if the following has anything to do with the Cyberattack in Australia ...

NY Times article:

For years, the United States and its allies have tried to persuade India to become a closer military and economic partner in confronting China’s ambitions, painting it as a chance for the world’s largest democracy to counterbalance the largest autocracy.

This week, the idea of such a confrontation became more real as Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed in the worst violence on the countries’ border in 45 years, leaving 20 Indian troops dead and causing an unknown number of Chinese casualties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly reveled in the prospect of a more muscular role for India in the region and the world. But analysts say the new tensions with China will be the starkest test yet of whether India is ready — or truly willing — to jostle with a rising power bent on expanding its interests and territory.
...
This month, India signed a major defense agreement with Australia that allows both countries to use each other’s military bases. And it is expected to invite Australia to join naval exercises it conducts with Japan and the United States, to strengthen efforts by the so-called Quad — Australia, Japan, the United States and India — to counter China’s projection of sea power in the region.

Will India Side With the West Against China? A Test Is at Hand https://nyti.ms/3d94pu8

And then Australia gets hacked...


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Edited June 20, 2020 by Maʹher-shalʹal-hash-baz
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Some more commentary from journalists:

But some observers well-versed in security matters think there is something else going on here, and that the truly intended audience was overseas. Note how Morrison indicated the “malicious” intrusions were carried out “by a state-based actor with very, very significant capabilities” and “there are not a large number of state-based actors that can engage in this type of activity”.

 

Peter Jennings, head of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and a former senior defence official, says he believes the government is raising the matter publicly without openly naming the chief suspect - China – in an attempt to send a signal to Beijing to moderate its behaviour after recent diplomatic tensions.

 

Australian cyber attack not ‘sophisticated’ – just a wake-up call for businesses, experts say

“I think what’s going on here is we’re attempting to apply a little bit of pressure back to China after they have been pressuring us. But there is also a point in the Morrison approach which says to China, ‘Look, we won’t name you.’ Maybe the view is ‘if you started playing a little nicer with us, we won’t do that’.”

 

 

For what it’s worth, Jennings thinks this particular attempt to influence China has “almost zero” chance of succeeding. But his view about the government’s thinking is backed up by former Office of National Intelligence analyst Ben Scott. Writing for the Lowy Institute’s Interpreter, Scott notes that Australia – like many countries – is wrestling with how to manage growing cyberspace-based rivalry and looking for a way to “deter adversaries without provoking them”.

 

This accords with some of Morrison’s final words in the Blue Room. He didn’t want to concern Australians, he insisted, but to reassure them that agencies understood what was happening and would keep plugging away. “We know it’s going on. We’re on it.”

 

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jun/20/scott-morrison-sends-china-a-signal-on-cyber-attack-but-then-fear-turns-into-farce

 

As for me... Australia pop 25 Million

China pop 1.4 BILLION vs

yeah, right, they will listen to us. Lol

 

 

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[New World Explorer]

1 hour ago, Maʹher-shalʹal-hash-baz said:

As for me... Australia pop 25 Million

China pop 1.4 BILLION vs

yeah, right, they will listen to us. Lol

 

Please stick to proper journalism...there 25ml humans and 45ml kangaroos living in this land LOL  

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Ty Greg.
I stand corrected:

vs

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The ant/kangaroo Strikes Back

Australia Spending Nearly $1 Billion on Cyberdefense as China Tensions Rise

Officials promised to recruit at least 500 cyberspies and build on the country’s offensive capabilities to take the online battle overseas.

https://nyti.ms/2YJR87n

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