South Australia (SA) faces a rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, necessitating a proactive, coordinated approach to protect its people, businesses, and critical infrastructure.
Cyber incidents have impacted the SA Government, businesses, and individuals, demonstrating the tangible consequences for the state. The Cyber Security Directorate in the SA Government, through its dedicated ‘Watch Desk’ team, manages thousands of cyber incidents each month from government agencies, leading to 2,712 investigations in 2023–24. The Watch Desk also supports non-government entities, reflecting the government’s intent to protect the state’s citizens.
The stakes for SA are high. Cyber attacks on critical sectors such as healthcare, transport, and energy could disrupt essential services, causing severe financial, operational, and societal damage. In 2022–23, the most reported cyber incidents in Australia’s critical infrastructure involved compromised accounts or credentials, compromised networks, and denial-of-service attacks. Nationally, the total self-reported business email compromise (BEC) losses were almost $84 million in 2023-24, with SA accounting for 6% of these incidents. With cyber crime costing the Australian economy an estimated $29 billion annually, and its impact growing each year, the urgency for enhanced cyber security is evident.
The national annual cost of cyber crime is $29 billion. The Australian Signals Directorate’s 2023-24 report stated that it responded to over 1,100 cyber security incidents, with ransomware comprising over 11% of all incidents.
In 2023-24, the top 3 cyber incidents reported by critical infrastructure across Australia were:
- Compromised accounts or credentials
- Malware infection (other than ransomware)
- Compromised assets, networks and infrastructure
Ransomware attacks, typically carried out by cyber criminals, remain a significant threat, disrupting services and compromising sensitive data. The rise in such incidents underscores the need for coordinated efforts to protect SA’s critical industries and ensure resilience in the face of increasing cyber threats.
Globally, rising geopolitical tensions have driven an increase in nation-state sponsored cyber activities. Internationally, attacks on critical infrastructure highlight the intent of some nation-states to destabilise key economic and societal systems. SA is a likely target for these threats, with its strategic involvement in globally significant industries like defence and space. Furthermore, emerging technologies, while fostering growth, also bring new risks, such as deepfakes and AI-driven disinformation that can spread false information and create division.
As SA’s digital economy expands, with greater reliance on online platforms and advanced technologies, it has become a prime target for a diverse range of cyber threat actors, from cyber criminals to state-sponsored groups. These sophisticated threats pose significant risks to the state’s sensitive data and vital industries.
To safeguard its future, SA must address not only the technical risks, but also the societal implications of cyber threats. This demands innovative, collaborative responses from government, industry, and the community to ensure the state’s resilience and secure its position in the global digital landscape.