Experts have warned that Chinese government hackers could turn out lights across Australia at any time if they decide to launch a massive cyber war.
Power stations, hospitals, banks and logistics firms – among many others – could be vulnerable to an all-out onslaught that would bring the country to a grinding halt.
The country is said to be living on a knife edge after years of low investment in hacking defence, leaving government and private corporations virtually defenseless.
warning comes after queensland Power firm CS Energy was the target of a ransomware attack that shut down power to nearly 3 million homes.
Chinese hackers launched an ongoing hack on CS Energy’s two thermal coal plants in Queensland on 27 November, denying workers access to critical data and email.
Chinese government hackers could turn out lights across Australia at any time if they decide to launch a massive cyber war at the behest of President Xi Jinping (pictured)
Australia is said to be living on a knife’s edge after years of low investment in hacking defence, leaving government and private corporations virtually defenseless
The attack happened within minutes of bypassing CS Energy’s internal corporate systems and reaching the generators, which transmit 3,500 MW of electricity to the grid.
Had it been successful, it would have shut off power for 1.4 to 30 lakh homes indefinitely.
A last-ditch plan to separate control operations from the main network saved the plant – but experts warn Australia may not be so lucky next time.
“Chinese hackers are very well organized, they are technically proficient and they are state-sponsored,” said Nigel Fair, director of the UNSW Institute for Cyber Security.
‘They see cyber attacks as just another part of their ongoing push for greatness. His ability is great,’ he said.
‘There is a big danger that they could shut down Australia. You would be nave to think otherwise.’
The Australian government has now started introducing new laws that would give them unprecedented powers in the event of a cyberattack.
Nigel Fair (pictured) director of the UNSW Institute for Cyber Security says Chinese hackers are very well organized, technically proficient and state-sponsored.
The warning comes after Queensland power firm CS Energy (pictured) was targeted by a ransomware attack that has shut down power to nearly 3 million homes.
The Security Act Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Bill) 2020 will allow the government to take control of private companies if their critical infrastructure comes under cyber attack.
Under the new laws, company directors of affected companies will also be held personally responsible for cyber security breaches.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison insisted: ‘We are pacesetters when it comes to cyber security – that doesn’t mean the threats aren’t great.
‘They are, they are important. And that’s why we’re so focused. This is another area we are working on to keep Australians safe.
Mr Fair insists the sweeping new powers are an important wake-up call for private companies that have failed to invest in hacking protection.
“Most of the critical infrastructure owner operators are the private sector and they do not see a return on investment in strengthening cyber security controls on their networks, as they see it only as a cost,” he said.
State actors working on behalf of the Communist regime’s Xi Jinping (pictured) launched a ‘sustained’ ransomware attack on two of CS Energy’s thermal coal plants in Queensland on 27 November – a reflection of what Beijing has been through in times of war. might be able to.
‘So now you are telling the government, “we are going to take steps”. This is quite interesting and quite controversial.
‘It’s a three step process where it starts with, “We’ll hold your hand and give you some help on what’s going on” which they call Stepping Power.
‘If you own gas, telco, electricity, or any critical infrastructure and you break down, they will come in and respond to the incident.
‘That’s the controversy. This is a very big step – it is quite a bold thing for government employees to move to a private organization and take over the computer network.
Senator James Patterson has warned that urgent reforms are needed to enhance Australia’s cyber defense capabilities as countries such as China and Russia become increasingly hostile.
Hackers will use all forms of hacking to gain access to the network, from studying published operation techniques to security intelligence obtained from espionage.
Social engineering – where hackers pose to win the trust of coworkers or those working as contractors and gain access to information, passwords and logins – is a widely used strategy.
Workers can also fall prey to phishing attacks where they click on fake links that can reveal passwords, logins and important network information.
Critical infrastructure companies – including utilities, financial and medical organizations – are considered most at risk, but Mr Fair says all firms need to strengthen their defenses.
Channel Nine was shut down from its broadcast equipment in March in a sophisticated attack on its network, which shut down the show while experts struggled to regain control.
‘They are advanced attacks,’ Mr. Fair said. ‘A lot of it is hard to organizations around technical and general sophistication. It takes brain power and action.
‘The problem is that Corporate Australia is not acting quickly enough or quickly enough. A degree is, “I’m not a bank, no one will hack me.”
‘It’s always someone else, it’s a different private hospital, a different power company. We have to get out of that complacency.
In the wake of Attack Nine, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the government was investing in corporate security against cyber attacks.
“This danger is not over,” he said. ‘We are working with the business community and the private sector to ensure their systems are best in class.
‘Whether it is other governments or criminal organizations, cyber security is the new battle front.’
While companies can strengthen defence, Mr Fair says a more effective way would be for Australia to fight back and launch cyberattacks on China.
Critical infrastructure companies – including utilities, financial and medical organizations – are considered most at risk, but Nigel Fair says all firms need to strengthen their defenses.
He believes Australia’s Directorate of Signals – which leads the nation’s cyber security and intelligence – may be starting a virtual war of our own.
‘We need to put sand in the gear of these people who are doing this,’ Mr Fair said.
‘We need to hurt them financially so they can go, “Actually we’re not going to attack the infrastructure in Australia. We’re going to go somewhere else because those are the low hanging fruit.”
‘We need to disrupt them with great force.’
But he warned that action must be taken swiftly.
“I am hoping that the seriousness that spoils people’s lives will never end,” Fair said. ‘That’s the hope.
‘It may never happen – but it could happen this afternoon.’
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