Australians should prepare for online services to go down unexpectedly as threats rise, cyber agency warns
News Source
โขMon, 26 Oct 2026 11:30:40 GMT
๐ฐ What Happened
Australia's signals intelligence agency warns that important online services may go offline without warning. The Australian Signals Directorate wants security put ahead of keeping systems online. It says AI is helping hackers work faster.
In the past year the agency dealt with 1,500 cyber incidents, up 20 per cent. It also warned about more than 4,400 possible attacks, up 80 per cent. It says foreign governments and criminals use AI to spy and steal.
๐ The Backstory
The agency wants companies and critical services to use advanced AI to fight back. Its chief, Abigail Bradshaw, says defenders need AI tools to stay ahead of attackers who use AI. The agency has access to powerful models kept from the public.
It also warns that old software no longer supported with updates is among the biggest risks and the easiest target for hackers. Last week a flaw in a common web language sent governments rushing to patch systems.
๐ฏ Why It Matters
Your banking, health or government services could be taken offline to be fixed, so a backup plan and strong passwords matter more than ever.
Australia's signals intelligence agency warns that important online services may go offline without warning. The Australian Signals Directorate wants security put ahead of keeping systems online. It says AI is helping hackers work faster.
In the past year the agency dealt with 1,500 cyber incidents, up 20 per cent. It also warned about more than 4,400 possible attacks, up 80 per cent. It says foreign governments and criminals use AI to spy and steal.
The agency wants companies and critical services to use advanced AI to fight back. Its chief, Abigail Bradshaw, says defenders need AI tools to stay ahead of attackers who use AI. The agency has access to powerful models kept from the public.
It also warns that old software no longer supported with updates is among the biggest risks and the easiest target for hackers. Last week a flaw in a common web language sent governments rushing to patch systems.
Your banking, health or government services could be taken offline to be fixed, so a backup plan and strong passwords matter more than ever.