Spy boss’ bombshell China warning

A month after the Australian Signals Directorate warned Beijing’s cyber soldiers were “routinely” hunting “Australian government networks for cyber espionage purposes”, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director-General Mike Burgess drove the point home in a keynote speech on Wednesday. “I have previously said we’re getting closer to the threshold for high-impact sabotage,” Mr Burgess told an Australian Securities and Investments Commission forum. “Well, I regret to inform you: we’re there now.” In a barely veiled reference to China, he told the room hostile actors were constantly testing security. “ASIO is aware of one nation state – no prizes for guessing which one – conducting multiple attempts to scan and penetrate critical infrastructure in Australia and other Five Eyes countries, targeting water, transport, telecommunications, and energy networks,” Mr Burgess said. “The reconnaissance is highly sophisticated, using top-notch tradecraft to find your networks, test for vulnerabilities, knock on digital doors and check the digital locks. “And when they have penetrated your networks, they actively and aggressively map your systems, and seek to maintain persistent undetected access that enables them to conduct sabotage at a time and moment of their choosing.” More to come.