The Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024–25 has revealed a surge in cybercrime targeting Australian individuals, businesses, and critical infrastructure — warning that malicious cyber activity remains one of the nation’s most persistent security threats.
The report urges all Australians and organisations to take stronger steps to boost their cyber defences, as cybercriminals increasingly exploit emerging technologies to expand their reach and cause significant financial harm.
According to the report, ASD answered more than 42,500 calls to the Australian Cyber Security Hotline — an average of 116 calls each day — and responded to over 1,200 cyber security incidents, marking an 11 per cent increase from last year.
More than 84,700 cybercrime reports were lodged, averaging one report every six minutes. The average self-reported cost of cybercrime for small businesses rose 14 per cent to $56,600, while individuals lost an average of $33,000, up 8 per cent.
The report also highlights the continued targeting of Australian governments, businesses, and critical infrastructure by state-sponsored cyber actors seeking to steal data, conduct espionage, or prepare for disruptive attacks.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles said the report “sharply illustrates that the nation faces an increasingly challenging threat landscape where cyber-enabled espionage and crime are not a hypothetical risk, but a real and increasing danger to the essential services we all rely on.”
He emphasised the need for close cooperation between government and industry to safeguard Australia’s “digital arteries” from malicious actors.
Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security Tony Burke echoed the call for vigilance, reminding Australians that “most cyber incidents are preventable” through simple steps such as installing software updates, using unique passphrases, enabling multifactor authentication, and avoiding unsolicited calls.
ASD’s Cyber Security Partnership Program has now grown to more than 133,000 partners, with its Cyber Threat Intelligence Sharing network distributing millions of indicators of compromise to hundreds of Australian organisations.
The government’s Project REDSPICE has also doubled ASD’s capacity to help private entities strengthen their defences and counter cyberattacks.
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