Australia’s spy chief warns of sabotage threats as Chinese hackers target telecoms and critical infrastructure

SYDNEY, Nov 12 — Australia’s spy chief, Mike Burgess, has warned that hackers linked to the Chinese government and military have been probing the country’s telecommunications networks and critical infrastructure, raising the risk of economic disruption from potential sabotage.

Speaking at a Melbourne business conference, Burgess said espionage cost Australia A$12.5 billion (RM33 billion) last year, including A$2 billion in stolen trade secrets and intellectual property. He cited the activities of Chinese hacking groups Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, noting their efforts to infiltrate telecoms and critical infrastructure in both Australia and the US.

Burgess warned that such attacks could disrupt banks, transport, water, and power systems, or target companies and elections to create chaos. He stressed that these threats are real and ongoing, despite repeated complaints from Chinese officials about his public remarks. — Reuters