Cyber attacks jump 20% as AI speeds up threats, warns Australian spy agency
Australia recorded 1,500 cyber incidents in 2025/26, up 20%. Frontier AI models are speeding up attacks.
The Australian Signals Directorate released its annual cyber threat report showing a sharp rise in attacks across the country. More than 37,500 hotline calls came in about cyber crime.
Authorities received 82,000 formal reports. The directorate responded to 139 ransomware incidents.
It blocked more than 564 million bad domains from reaching Australian government networks. Individuals reporting cyber crime lost an average of $33,000 each.
Businesses averaged $93,500. Medium-sized firms were hit hardest at $141,300 on average.
That was a jump of 45%. Identity fraud stayed the most common type of cyber crime.
The agency warns that frontier AI models speed up incidents. It called for more testing of frontier AI models with operators and Five Eyes countries.
- 1,500 in 2025/26, up 20 percent
- Cyber incidents
- $141,300 average, up 45 percent
- Medium business loss
- 564 million from government networks
- Malicious domains blocked
- 139 by the directorate
- Ransomware incidents handled
Why it mattersAs attacks speed up, Australians face rising risk of financial loss and data theft. Government and business must move faster on old security systems.
AustraliaEvery Australian using online banking, email or social media now faces higher risk. Cyber crime is costing individuals and businesses billions annually.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
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