Frontline of the war on cybercrime | 60 Minutes Australia

Summary

Cybercrime has impacted over half of Australia's population, costing the country $30 billion annually. Every six minutes, a new victim is reported. Despite efforts to combat it, online crime is growing, with individuals like Sarah Luke falling prey, facing legal battles after hackers used her data to commit fraud. Australia's government is ramping up efforts with top cyber agents like Rachel Noble, who combats hackers on the dark web. As the nation confronts threats to critical infrastructure, the call for better security and vigilance becomes urgent.

Takeaways

• ⚠️ More than half of Australia's population has been impacted by cybercrime, costing the country at least $30 billion a year.
• ⏱️ Every six minutes, someone in Australia becomes a victim of an online attack.
• 👩‍🦰 Sarah Luke, a mother of four, had her identity stolen after the Medibank hack, leading to fraudulent activity and lawsuits against her in the U.S.
• 🌍 The Australian Signals Directorate fights cybercrime on a global scale, targeting both individual criminals and state actors like China, Russia, and Iran.
• 🕵️‍♀️ Rachel Noble, head of the Australian Signals Directorate, focuses on hacking hackers and disrupting cybercriminal networks.
• 🚨 Major cyber attacks have targeted critical Australian infrastructure, including a recent attack on DP World, affecting 40% of Australia's maritime freight.
• 🛡️ The government is working to protect critical infrastructure and national defense systems, especially with the new nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS.
• 🤖 Criminals on the dark web sell stolen data and malicious code, with cybercrime forums rapidly re-emerging despite crackdowns.
• 💻 The Australian federal police and international partners are working together to disrupt cybercrime, though bringing hackers to justice remains a challenge.
• 🔐 Australians need to adopt better cybersecurity practices, such as using unique passwords and two-factor authentication, to mitigate risks.

Q & A

What is the current state of cybercrime in Australia according to the script?

More than half of Australia's population has been impacted by cybercrime, costing the country at least $30 billion annually. A new cybercrime report is made every 6 minutes.

What happened to Sarah Luke, and why is her case significant?

Sarah Luke's data was breached in the Medibank hack, and her PayPal account was used by Russian hackers to sell counterfeit goods. She is now a defendant in two U.S. lawsuits, facing $18 million in damages, despite being a victim of hacking.

What role does the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) play in cyber defense?

The Australian Signals Directorate, led by Rachel Noble, is responsible for disrupting and destroying cybercriminal networks. They work undercover to prevent criminals from hacking Australian systems and selling malicious software and stolen data on the dark web.

How do cybercriminals operate on the dark web, according to the ASD?

Cybercriminals use the dark web to sell access to hacked accounts, malicious code, and large data sets from breaches. This information can be used by other criminals to target individuals and organizations.

What are the national security implications of cyberattacks in Australia?

Cyberattacks pose a significant threat to Australia's critical infrastructure, such as defense systems, maritime trade routes, and national security systems. These attacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated.

Which countries are identified as state actors posing cyber threats to Australia?

Countries like China, Russia, and Iran have been identified as state actors either directly conducting cyberattacks or turning a blind eye to cybercriminal gangs operating within their borders.

What is the concern regarding Australia's nuclear submarines and cyberattacks?

Australia's $300 billion nuclear submarine deal is at risk from cyberattacks. If these submarines are hacked, their stealth capabilities could be compromised, rendering them ineffective for defense purposes.

How do cybercriminals continue to evade law enforcement efforts?

Despite shutting down some cybercrime forums, new criminals quickly take their place. Cybercrime is an ever-evolving issue that requires international cooperation to effectively disrupt these networks.

What steps can individuals and businesses take to protect themselves from cybercrime?

Individuals should stop using the same password across multiple sites and enable two-factor authentication. Businesses and government organizations must also improve their cybersecurity measures to reduce the risk of attacks.

What is the Australian government doing to address the growing cybercrime problem?

The government has invested in cyber defense, including the establishment of a dedicated cyber security minister. It also collaborates with international partners to track and prosecute cybercriminals, though challenges remain due to the global nature of cybercrime.

Outlines

00:00

😨 Australia's Alarming Cyber Crime Landscape

Cybercrime is escalating in Australia, with over half of the population affected and an annual cost of at least $30 billion. Every 6 minutes, a new cyber attack is reported. The battle against cybercrime may seem unwinnable, but the fight is ongoing. Sarah Luke, a resident of Byron Bay, found herself caught up in this crisis after her personal data was hacked during the Medibank breach. Her PayPal account was used by Russian hackers to trade counterfeit goods, leading to her being sued for $18 million in the U.S. This story underscores how ordinary Australians can be severely impacted by cybercrime.

05:04

🔐 Dark Web Dealings and National Security Threats

The dark web is a marketplace for cybercriminals, who sell access to personal accounts and malicious software. Rachel Noble, head of the Australian Signals Directorate, reveals the invisible yet dangerous battle between cybersecurity forces and online criminals. With critical national infrastructure constantly under attack, cyber security has become a daily concern. Recent breaches, like the one affecting DP World, a major port operator, highlight the urgency of the threat. The cybercrime battle is no longer just about stolen data but about defending the nation’s core functions and security systems.

10:05

🌐 The Global Cyber Warfare Threat

Australia faces not only criminal hackers but also state actors like China, Russia, and Iran, who are either directly involved in cybercrime or turning a blind eye to it. The risk of major cyber incidents, like attacks on defense infrastructure or crucial industries, is ever-present. The government is increasingly concerned about the implications of these breaches, especially as tensions grow in the Indo-Pacific region, potentially leading to devastating consequences for Australia's national security.

15:07

⚖️ The Ongoing Fight Against Cybercriminals

Australia's law enforcement agencies, alongside international partners, are continuously engaged in tracking and disrupting cybercrime. However, despite shutting down online criminal forums, new ones quickly emerge. Federal Police and cybersecurity teams are using advanced technologies and international cooperation to battle this ever-growing threat. Scott Lee, the Assistant Commissioner of Cybercrime, stresses that while progress is being made, it is a relentless fight that requires vigilance and advanced strategies to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated criminals.

Keywords

💡Cybercrime

Cybercrime refers to criminal activities carried out using computers or the internet, such as hacking, identity theft, or the illegal selling of goods online. In the video, it is mentioned that more than half of Australia's population has been impacted by cybercrime, illustrating the scale and seriousness of the issue.

💡Data Breach

A data breach occurs when unauthorized individuals gain access to sensitive information. In the script, Sarah Luke becomes a victim of a massive data breach, which was part of the Medibank hack affecting 10 million Australians. This breach leads to her PayPal account being exploited for fraudulent activities.

💡Dark Web

The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines and is often used for illegal activities. The script describes how criminals use the dark web to trade stolen information, such as personal data from data breaches, and malicious software used for cyberattacks.

💡Cyber Offensive

A cyber offensive is a strategy or set of operations designed to disrupt, destroy, or incapacitate the networks or systems of cyber criminals. In the video, Rachel Noble leads an Australian cyber offensive to combat hackers by infiltrating their networks and trying to neutralize their operations.

💡Critical Infrastructure

Critical infrastructure refers to essential systems and services, such as transportation, power, and communications, which are crucial to a country's security and economy. In the script, there is a focus on how cyberattacks are increasingly targeting Australia's critical infrastructure, such as DP World, a major maritime operator.

💡State Actors

State actors are government-affiliated groups or individuals who engage in cyber activities, sometimes maliciously, to achieve national objectives. The script mentions countries like China, Russia, and Iran as state actors potentially involved in cyberattacks against Australia, particularly targeting its critical infrastructure and defense systems.

💡Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure that requires users to provide two different types of credentials, such as a password and a code sent to their phone, to access an account. The cyber security minister highlights that many Australians still neglect basic security practices like enabling 2FA, which would significantly reduce cyber risks.

💡Medibank Hack

The Medibank hack was a major cyberattack that exposed the personal data of millions of Australians. This incident is central to the script, as it led to Sarah Luke's personal information being exploited for fraud. It serves as an example of the widespread damage that data breaches can cause to individuals and society.

💡Identity Theft

Identity theft occurs when someone illegally obtains and uses another person’s personal information, usually for financial gain. In the script, Sarah Luke becomes a victim of identity theft when hackers use her PayPal account to sell counterfeit goods, resulting in legal actions against her in the U.S.

💡Cybersecurity Strategy

A cybersecurity strategy involves planning and implementing measures to protect digital systems, data, and networks from cyberattacks. The video emphasizes the need for a stronger cybersecurity strategy in Australia, including collaboration between the government, businesses, and individuals to combat growing cyber threats.

Highlights

More than half of Australia's population has been impacted by cybercrime, costing the country at least $30 billion a year.

Every 6 minutes, there is a new report of someone becoming a victim of an online attack in Australia.

Sarah Luke, an Australian resident, was one of 10 million people affected by the Medibank data breach and soon after became the defendant in two US lawsuits for selling counterfeit goods.

Sarah suspects Russian hackers used her PayPal account to sell counterfeit NBA and Adidas merchandise without her knowledge.

Cyber criminals frequently sell stolen data sets on the dark web, which are then used by other criminals to target victims.

The Australian Signals Directorate actively engages in undercover operations on the dark web, hacking hackers and disrupting criminal networks.

Major breaches targeting critical infrastructure like DP World, a key player in Australia's maritime trade, pose significant national security threats.

Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are frequent, with state actors such as Russia, China, and Iran being identified as major threats.

Australia signed the largest defense deal in its history to build nuclear submarines to protect the nation from both physical and cyber threats.

Stealth is a key feature of submarine capability, and a cyberattack compromising submarine stealth could nullify their effectiveness.

Cybersecurity Minister Clare O'Neil highlights the increasing interest of state actors in hacking Australia's defense systems.

Despite police efforts, cybercriminal forums continue to grow, with new criminals emerging as soon as others are shut down.

The Australian Federal Police, in collaboration with international partners, regularly act on intelligence from the Australian Signals Directorate to combat cybercrime.

Sarah Luke’s PayPal account was hacked with 250 transactions made in just two days, demonstrating the speed and scale of such attacks.

Clare O'Neil stresses the importance of basic cyber hygiene practices, such as using two-factor authentication and unique passwords, to reduce the risk of becoming a victim.

Transcripts

the facts are frightening more than half

the population of Australia has now been

impacted by cyber crime its cost to the

country is at least $30 billion a year

and despite all the warnings every 6

minutes there's a new report of someone

becoming a victim of an online attack

now you mightn't like to hear this but

the war against cyber criminals can't be

won that doesn't mean we're surrendering

though far from

it when Sarah Luke moved to Byron Bay

she thought she'd be living a peaceful

stressfree life from this secluded Safe

Haven she never imagined she could be

accused of doing terrible things on the

other side of the

world I felt extremely vulnerable I felt

violated it's been enormously

distressing actually unlucky doesn't

even begin to cover what happened to

Sarah last

October she was one of 10 million

Australians whose data was breached in

the medy bank hack just a few weeks

later Sarah suspects that information

was used to hack her PayPal account my

understanding is that they were Russian

hackers they were using my account under

my name to trade unauthorized

merchandise sporting merchandise so

Adidas and national basketball

Association merchandise things like

that what they were doing was using her

account to sell counterfeit goods and

when those big Brands found out Sarah

was in their sight and overnight this

Laur abiding mother of four went from a

hacking victim to a defendant in two US

lawsuits up for $18 million in Damages

what were you accused of trading illegal

merchandise um and on charges of cyber

squatting trademark infringement willful

counterfeiting IP

infringement as extraordinary as it

sounds Sarah's situation isn't unique

every 6 minutes an Australian reports

being hacked the attacks are coming hard

and fast from far and

wide tonight we take you inside

Australia's online offensive appreciate

that initial advice on a potential cyber

incident with rare access to the front

line of this dangerous battle for cyber

security we have to run hard at it the

enemy is invisible these criminals are

if nothing else they are adaptive a new

era of warfare is upon us the need to be

vigilant is profound and this is a

battle our government can't afford to

lose the sharpest me people in the

Australian government are there online

finding people who would try to harm

Australians Rachel Noble doesn't look

like one of the meanest people in the

government but she's certainly one of

the sharpest in fact she's one of our

nation's most cunning spies her job is

to hack the hackers and she's showing us

an undercover operation designed to

disrupt and Destroy cyber Criminal netor

works so this is the dark web it looks

very much like a any legitimate chat

Forum it sure does it it looks a lot

like a sort of um any online chat Forum

what you see here is criminals are

talking to each other about you know

their crimes and what they're planning

and also offering um to other criminals

uh ideas about what they're capable of

doing as a service as director general

of the Australian signals directorate

Rachel rarely allows cameras into her

workplace that's because what goes on

here is top

secret her team is our first line of

defense against an Ever growing threat

this is one of many criminals that are

out there this person this criminal

doesn't know that they're talking to

someone in the Australian signals

directorate for obvious reasons we can't

show you too much of what's on this

screen what are the most common

activities what are they getting up to

in there they're selling access they

will promise that they can get you uh

access to individual accounts they're

selling malicious codes that they've

written that might be able to steal your

login and password as you go into your

banking app for example and then of

course once they have your login and

password then uh your bank account is

open to them they'll also sell data set

so when we see big uh data breaches

sadly where your personal information

might have been stolen on the dark web

they will sell big data sets with

people's personal information which a

different criminal could then use to

Target you

personally that's one side of the battle

we face but the other side is the

terrifying implications for National

Security how often do you see major

breaches attempted attacks on our

critical infrastructure our national

security systems we see those pretty

much every day and it is a bad day

though when uh one of those hackers gets

through those

defenses a Cyber attack against Opus has

compromised the identities of more than

9 million Australians it's happened a

lot in the last year with Australians

hit by several major cyber incidents one

of the nation's biggest Port operators

remains crippled tonight due to a Cyber

attack earlier this month the target was

DP world the company responsible for 40%

of Australia's Maritime Freight and the

flow of international trade when you get

that phone call in this instance major

trade under threat hacked we must get

the adrenaline going look it does a

little bit I get these phone calls

regularly my only concern and focus is

protecting my neighbors my community and

citizens around in this country when

major incidents occur so tell me where

we're up to CLA O'Neal is in the hot

seat as the country's first cyber

security minister she has the enormous

responsibility of finding out who is

trying to harm us the DP world did go to

show it is very alarming that cyber

criminals can so successfully Target our

infrastructure our trade routes the DP

World incident was really serious and if

truth be told this is one that could

have affected the lives of almost

everyone who lives in our country How

concerned are you about malicious State

actors targeting our critical

infrastructure given our current

strategic environment State actors are a

really big part of the cyber crime

problem for our country uh we have in

some instances State actors who are

using parts of their government to

Target Australians in other instances

such as Russia where the government is

essentially turning a blind eye to

massive cyber gangs that are operating

in their country which state actors pose

the biggest threat to us countries like

China like Russia like Iran are those

that the Australian signals directorate

has publicly identified as those who are

part of the mix here and there's no

knowing how far they're prepared to go

as you'll see our most closely guarded

National secrets are in the firing line

it's a threat which is present and

active as we speak and in that sense it

requires defense right

now Australia could soon be at war or so

we're constantly warned in fact the

government is so concerned in the past

year it signed the biggest ever defense

deal in our history to build nuclear

submarines to protect our land and

surrounding

Waters it's defense minister Richard

miles's job to know all about the front

line but he's now facing conflict online

as well have we seen attacks or

attempted attacks on our defense systems

we do see U an increasing interest from

other state actors in our critical

infrastructure and that obviously

includes defense so does that mean

Russia and China have attempted to hack

or or strike our critical infrastructure

well again I I'm reluctant to go there

in in in probably the way you would want

me to why is the government reluctant to

to call out those State actors well we

do from time to time but we do so on a

case-by casee basis and for you know a

range of reasons and and a lot of those

might be around the protection of our

own people and our own movements and

systems he might have want to say it but

the defense Minister's great fear is

that $300 billion worth of nuclear

submarines are at risk How concerned are

you that orcus could be targeted I think

that we are very Vigilant about

protecting something such as that to

give people an understanding what would

be the ramifications of that if there

were to be some sort of Cyber attack

strike on on orus firstly it's

intelligence in the sense that it's uh

other actors having complete visibility

of what you're doing what defines a

submarine capability is stealth if they

can be detected there is literally no

point to

them it's a scenario our smartest cyber

fighting Minds have spent years

preparing for Catherine manstead

director of cyber intelligence at Cyber

CX advises the government and the

private sector on how to avoid and

respond to hacking incidents the

government's constantly telling us we're

in the most difficult strategic

circumstances in decades I mean let's

talk hypotheticals China invades Taiwan

it's on and now we can see how a

government like that could access and

sabotage our critical infrastructure

that's a reasonable scenario to consider

it would be very surprising to me if a

lot of countries around the world

weren't thinking about what would it

look like if there was a conflict closer

to home and how might that play out in

cyberspace because there are a lot of

foreign governments not just China and

Russia that see cyberspace as their

playground and that will try and seek

influence to coerce uh democracies and

Western democracies like Australia using

Cyber attack taxs if that's where the

state of the relations deteriorates too

it's a frightening thought not just for

our Defense Force but our law

enforcement too the problem is there are

so many Crooks out there when one gets

caught another one comes along they're

shutting down some of the cyber crime

forums where they operate where they buy

and sell access to Australian

organizations for example but the

reality is for every shutdown that we

have seen to date almost immediately we

see more criminals jump up to take their

place so we need to do more of that

disruption but we need to do it at a

much Bolder scale and we have to do that

not just as Australians but working with

uh police forces overseas to make a real

dent it's almost impossible to keep up

isn't it look it's not impossible we've

got things on our side like highly

capable um Technologies if we focus and

put that effort into seeing this as what

it is the dominant crime type of the

21st century and we focus on it like we

focused on organized crime terrorism and

other major crime waves before I think

we can do this but it does require that

mindset shift at that stage we'll make a

decision on there's no better man for

the job than Australian federal police

assistant Commissioner of cyber Scott

Lee fresh from leading counterterrorism

operations his Target is now cyber

criminals I think there is a deception

among the Australian public but the bad

guys are winning the community may not

necessarily see the policing response

but I can assure the Australian public

that both ourselves and our

International partners are taking action

every day with intelligence provided by

the Australian signals directorate our

federal police hunt for the most serious

cyber criminals at home and

overseas it's one thing to find them but

quite another to catch them and as we've

seen in the case of last year's medy

Bank hack bringing them to justice is

another story alt together there are

instances where that just mighton be

possible given the jurisdictions that

these individuals are based in so we

undertak and share information where

even if it's not necessarily A

prosecution in Australia some of these

individuals might be arrested and

charged and prosecuted in a foreign

jurisdiction the reality is disrupting

Cy criminals doesn't stop them as Sarah

Luke knows all too well she spent the

past year battling to clear her name in

the US courts after hackers stole her

identity accessed her PayPal information

and used it to commit fraud how often

did you use your PayPal account hardly

ever actually so I've owned it for 8

years and I've used it twice a year for

8 years and then all all of a sudden in

2 days there were 250 transactions that

went through my account were you

surprised by the I guess the scale of it

and the speed of it as well yeah

absolutely the speed how they got into

my account and then the transactions are

hu like it's it's it's immediate and

there's so many of them it's the damage

is done before you even know about it

absolutely so by the time I got the

email from PayPal to flag that they'

changed the email address the the damage

this had already been done it was too

late too late

yeah Sarah's Hope is that Common Sense

will prevail and the case against her

will be

dismissed what's it like for you having

that hanging over your head and

constantly in the back of your mind it's

an

enormous point of Stress and

Anxiety it's it's unnerving I go to

sleep at night not

knowing if there's going to be a knock

on the door if there's going to be some

some heavy people there going to take me

away I don't know I I have no idea I

just don't even know what it looks like

and no one has been able to to explain

to me what that's going to look

like cyber security minister CLA O'Neal

concedes as we face this cyber Reckoning

the government can't manage it alone it

has to be a shared burden is this

something that we all just have to

accept now in this modern digital world

that at some point all Australians are

going to be targeted I don't think we

should accept that we're going to be a

nation of cyber crime victims absolutely

not and it's part of my job to make sure

that doesn't happen one thing I do want

Australians to understand and part of

our cyber strategy is making sure that

people know that if you do some simple

things you can vastly reduce the risk of

cyber crime you know we've all been

using the internet over many years um

you know living in a Dreamland using the

same password for all of our different

sites you know not putting on two Factor

authentication when we need to that's

got to end Australian Citizens need to

change but business and government need

to step up too hello I'm Amelia Adams

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