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☆ Strong Winds Cause Power Outages, Fan Bushfires in Australia's Southeast
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of residents across Australia's Victoria state remained without power on Wednesday after wild weather knocked down transmission lines, forcing a major power plant to disconnect from the grid, while strong winds fanned bushfires. AGL's Loy Yang A power station, responsible for about a third of the state's power, had to shut down on Tuesday afternoon impacting half a million properties, which officials said was one of the largest outages in Victoria's history. Some properties were completely destroyed by fire with the exact number to be confirmed after fire crews finish their rescue efforts. Firefighters are battling to contain three bushfires, but better weather conditions could help crews to contain the fires quickly, Heffernan said. Australia's weather bureau forecast milder conditions on Wednesday with temperatures in the low to mid-20 degree Celsius (68°F) and moderate winds, but warned the risk was not over yet.

Persons: AGL's Loy Yang, Clare O'Neil, We've, O'Neil, Jason Heffernan, Heffernan, Renju Jose, Bill Berkrot Organizations: SYDNEY, Mobile, Federal Home Affairs, ABC, Firefighters Locations: Australia's Victoria, Melbourne, Hotham, Victoria's, Victoria, Sydney

☆ Australia Imposes Sanctions on Russian Hacker Over Medibank Breach
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Renju JoseSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia on Tuesday imposed cyber sanctions on a Russian man for his role in the breach at insurer Medibank, one of the country's biggest data thefts which impacted about 10 million customers. Targeted financial sanctions and a travel ban have been imposed on Russian citizen Aleksandr Ermakov after Australian authorities linked him to the breach at Medibank, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said during a press briefing. This is the first time Australia has used its cyber sanctions framework since legislating it in 2021. Medibank in 2022 disclosed that a hacker stole the personal information of 9.7 million current and former customers, and released the data on the dark web. Hackers in November hit DP World Australia, one of the country's largest ports operators, forcing it to suspend operations for three days.

Persons: Renju Jose SYDNEY, Aleksandr Ermakov, Clare O'Neil, they're scumbags, we'll, O'Neil, Renju Jose, Jonathan Oatis, Stephen Coates Organizations: Medibank, cybercrime, Home Affairs Locations: Australia, Victoria, Sydney

☆ Australia goes on cyber offensive with sweeping resilience plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Broken Ethernet cable is seen in front of binary code and words "cyber security" in this illustration taken March 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australia will give cyber health checks for small businesses, increase cyber law enforcement funding and introduce mandatory reporting of ransomware attacks under a security overhaul announced on Wednesday after a spate of attacks. "We cannot continue as we have," Cyber Security and Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil told reporters in Sydney. Unveiling the seven-year strategy, O'Neil said that while large businesses received some of the biggest cyber attacks, they typically recovered, but attacks on small and medium-size businesses could be terminal. "Minister O'Neil's Strategy establishes cyber security as a unifying nationwide endeavour," he added.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Clare O'Neil, O'Neil, Aidan Tudehope, O'Neil's, telco, Byron Kaye, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Labor, Security, Home Affairs, Australian Cyber Security, U.S, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Macquarie Technology, telco Optus, Singapore Telecommunications, Medibank, Thomson Locations: Australia, Sydney, Britain

☆ Australia ports operator could be online within days after cyber incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

I've been in contact with the company again this morning and they're making good progress," the government's Cyber Security Coordinator Darren Goldie told ABC Radio. After spotting the breach, DP World, one of a handful of stevedore industry players in Australia, disconnected internet, significantly impacting freight movements, Goldie said. The company, part of Dubai's state-owned DP World, did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment. In a statement on Sunday, DP World said the company was testing key systems crucial for the resumption of regular freight movement. The breach comes as the government prepares to release soon details on its proposed cyber security laws.

Persons: I've, Darren Goldie, Goldie, Clare O'Neil, O'Neil, Renju Jose, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: SYDNEY, ABC Radio, DP, Fremantle, telco Optus, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Western, Australia, Dubai's

☆ Police investigate 'cyber incident' at Australia ports operator
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 12 (Reuters) - The Australian Federal Police said on Sunday they were investigating a cybersecurity incident that forced ports operator DP World Australia to suspend operations at ports in several states. DP World Australia told Reuters on Saturday that operations at impacted ports were not yet restored. DP World Australia, part of Dubai's state-owned ports giant DP World, operates four container terminals in Australia in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Western Australia's Fremantle. Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said on Saturday that the government was coordinating a response to the "cyber incident". According to DP World, in the Asia Pacific region it employs more than 7,000 people and has ports and terminals in 18 locations.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, We've, we're, Darren Goldie, Goldie, Clare O'Neil, Sam McKeith, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Australian Federal Police, Australia, DP, Reuters, Fremantle, Cyber, Twitter, Home Affairs, Thomson Locations: Dubai's, Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Western, Sydney , Melbourne, Asia

☆ Australia ports operator suffers 'cybersecurity incident', suspends operations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, Nov 11 (Reuters) - The Australian government said on Saturday that it was coordinating a response to a cybersecurity incident that forced ports operator DP World Australia to suspend operations at ports in several states. A DP World Australia spokesperson told Reuters on Saturday that operations at impacted ports were not yet restored. Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator, appointed earlier this year in response to several major data breaches, was managing the official response to the incident, O'Neil said. DP World Australia, part of Dubai's state-owned ports giant DP World, operates four container terminals in Australia in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Western Australia's Fremantle. According to DP World, in the Asia Pacific region it employs more than 7,000 people and has ports and terminals in 18 locations.

Persons: Clare O'Neil, O'Neil, Sam McKeith, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia, Home Affairs, Cyber Security, DP, Thomson Locations: Dubai's, Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Western, Fremantle, Asia

☆ Australia's Energy One says no proof of malicious activity after cyber incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 29 (Reuters) - Australian software supplier Energy One (EOL.AX) said on Friday it had not uncovered any evidence of malicious activity on their customer systems after a cyber incident was first identified last month. The company had previously said some personal information of its current and former employees had been compromised, for which the notification process is underway. "Our investigations have not revealed any evidence that customer systems have been impacted and the company continues to securely trade," Energy One said in a statement on Friday. Australian firms have suffered many cyber attacks since September 2022, putting the spotlight on the country's understaffed cybersecurity industry. Recently, Shell Plc (SHEL.L) identified a cybersecurity incident involving some employees at BG Group in Australia, the latest company to be hit by the MOVEit hack.

Persons: Clare O'Neil, Ayushman Ojha, Rashmi Aich, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Energy, Shell Plc, BG Group, Home Affairs, Thomson Locations: Australian, Australia

☆ An Australian minister called Donald Trump Jr. a 'big baby,' saying he postponed his tour due to 'poor ticket sales' and not visa issues
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Talia Lakritz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Donald Trump Jr. postponed his three-day tour of Australia, citing visa issues. O'Neil called Trump Jr. a "big baby" and a "sore loser" in a series of since-deleted tweets. "Geez, Donald Trump Jr is a bit of sore loser," O'Neil wrote in a series of since-deleted tweets. "Donald Trump Jr. had attracted huge interest and 8,000 tickets had already been sold. O'Neil, Trump Jr, and Farage did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Persons: Donald Trump Jr, Clare O'Neil, O'Neil, Trump, —, Geez, Donald Trump, didn't, He's, Nigel Farage, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Farage Organizations: Service, Australian Home, AP News, Twitter, Government, Former, Trump Jr Locations: Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Former British

SYDNEY, July 6 (Reuters) - Australian Home Minister Clare O'Neil on Thursday called Donald Trump Jr. a "big baby", after the son of the former U.S. president cancelled a planned speaking tour. "Geez, Donald Trump Jr is a bit of sore loser," she said in a series of posts on Twitter that were later deleted. "Donald Trump Jr has been given a visa to come to Australia. Albanese also said the eldest son of former President Donald Trump had not been blocked from entering. The younger Trump has long been a vociferous supporter of his father who is the front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential nominating contest.

Persons: Clare O'Neil, Donald Trump Jr, Trump, O'Neil, Anthony Albanese, Geez, Donald Trump, didn't, He's, Albanese, Alasdair Pal, Robert Birsel Organizations: SYDNEY, Home, Sunday, Labor, Thomson Locations: Australia, Sydney

☆ Australia names air force veteran as cybersecurity chief amid rise in data breaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, June 23 (Reuters) - Australia on Friday named a senior air force commander as its first cybersecurity boss to help lead the government's response to major data breaches and boost the nation's security capabilities amid a recent spike in network intrusions. Air Marshal Darren Goldie, a 30-year veteran, will become the national cybersecurity coordinator, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. He will be supported by a national office within the department of home affairs and begin his term on July 3. HWL Ebsworth has flagged ransomware group BlackCat, also known as ALPHV, may have published some stolen data on the dark web. Major breaches were reported by health insurer Medibank Private (MPL.AX) and telco Optus, owned by Singapore Telecommunications (STEL.SI).

Persons: Darren Goldie, Anthony Albanese, " Albanese, HWL Ebsworth, Goldie, Clare O'Neil, telco, Renju Jose, Jamie Freed Organizations: SYDNEY, Home Affairs, Medibank, telco Optus, Singapore Telecommunications, Thomson Locations: Australia, Sydney

☆ Australia cancels lease for new Russian embassy citing national security
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, June 15 (Reuters) - Australia said on Thursday it would introduce legislation to parliament to cancel Russia's lease to build a new embassy in the national capital of Canberra, citing national security. The move follows the conclusion of a long-running litigation regarding the leased site after the federal court ruled last month that an eviction order made by the National Capital Authority - a government body tasked with the planning of the national capital - was invalid. Russia bought the lease in 2008 and had plans approved in 2011 but the National Capital Authority blamed the embassy for leaving the site unused, according to Australian media. Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said the "principal problem" with the proposed second Russian embassy was its location, as the site sits directly adjacent to the parliament house. Since the conflict began, Australia has provided millions in military support to Ukraine and has sanctioned more than 1,000 Russian individuals and entities.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, " Albanese, Clare O'Neil, Albanese, Renju Jose, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, National Capital Authority, Home Affairs, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Australia, Canberra, Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Sydney

☆ Australia to overhaul immigration system, smooth entry for skilled workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australia proposed on Thursday overhauling its immigration system to speed up getting highly skilled workers into the country and smoothening the path to permanent residency. It is failing our businesses, it is failing migrants themselves. Australia has been competing with comparable countries, like Canada and Germany, to lure more skilled migrants, with the surge in demand exacerbated by an ageing population. But it will not add to Australia's annual intake of permanent migrants, she said. From July 1, the government said it would raise the migrant wage threshold of temporary skilled workers to A$70,000 ($46,250) from A$53,900, stuck at the same level since 2013.

☆ Australia plans to reform cyber security rules, set up agency
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Australia plans to overhaul its cyber security rules and set up an agency to oversee government investment in the field and help coordinate responses to hacker attacks, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil told public radio on Monday. Current cyber security rules are not adequate to deal with attacks and cannot protect consumer data, O'Neil told ABC Radio, blaming the previous government for implementing them. She said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet industry leaders and cyber security experts on Monday, and that he has decided to appoint a cyber security coordinator tasked with ensuring government agencies work together during cyber incidents. The office of the cyber security coordinator will exist within the department of home affairs, she said. The government has published a discussion paper on a new cyber security strategy, which it aims to implement next year, and is seeking feedback on how businesses can improve their cyber security in partnership with the government.

☆ Australia's foreign interference laws designed for China - former PM Turnbull
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CANBERRA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Exposing China's activities was the "key purpose" of Australia's foreign interference laws, but the scheme has failed to do this, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who introduced the laws, said on Tuesday. The Australian government was careful not to name China when introducing laws to prevent foreign interference in 2018, but the move nonetheless sparked tension with Australia's largest trading partner that later developed into a diplomatic freeze. Turnbull told a parliamentary committee the "key purpose" of a foreign interest register was to disclose the links the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department had formed in Australia. The committee is examining whether to adjust the foreign interference laws to improve their effectiveness. Australia's government plans to "out" foreign interference operations that are targeting politicians, academics and community leaders, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said earlier this month.

☆ Australia unveils joint cyber police taskforce to 'hunt down' hackers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Australia on Saturday formalised a new cyber-policing model in a stepped-up effort to "hunt down" cyber criminal syndicates, following recent hacks impacting millions of Australians. Australia's biggest health insurer, Medibank Private Ltd (MPL.AX), last month was hit by a massive cyber attack, as Australia grapples with a rise in damaging hacks. O'Neil said around 100 officers would be part of the new partnership between the two federal agencies, which would act as "a joint standing operation against cyber criminal syndicates". The taskforce would "day in, day out, hunt down the scumbags who are responsible for these malicious crimes", she said. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, speaking alongside O'Neil in Melbourne, refused to be drawn on whether the ransomware group REvil was responsible for recent cyber attacks on Australians.

☆ Cruise ship docks in Sydney after 800 people on board infected by COVID outbreak
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A cruise ship where 800 people on board have tested positive for COVID has docked in Sydney. The BBC reports that approximately 4,600 passengers and crew were aboard the luxury Majestic Princess, and 800 people were affected by the outbreak of the viral bug. COVID cases are spiking across Australia, with 54,661 cases reported across the country in the last week, said The Guardian. According to Reuters, Australian authorities have been working to assure the public that this ship outbreak is under control. O'Neil told Reuters that the authorities are determining how to get passengers off the Majestic Princess "on a case-by-case basis."

☆ Australia to consider banning paying of ransoms to cyber criminals
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Australia's Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil on Sunday said the government would consider making illegal the paying of ransoms to cyber hackers, following recent cyber attacks affecting millions of Australians. Australia's biggest health insurer, Medibank Private Ltd (MPL.AX), last month suffered a massive cyber attack, as Australia grapples with a rise in hacks. Asked on ABC television on Sunday whether the government planned to look at outlawing ransom payments to cyber criminals, O'Neil said "that's correct". Around 100 officers would be part of the new partnership between the two federal agencies, which would act as a joint standing operation against cyber criminals. The AFP earlier this week said Russia-based hackers were behind the attack on Medibank, which compromised data from around 10 million current and former customers.

☆ Australia seeks to reassure citizens on COVID after cruise ship outbreak
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Australia's Home Affairs Minister on Saturday sought to reassure the public that COVID-19 protocols were adequate after a cruise ship with hundreds of infected passengers docked in Sydney. The incident has sparked comparisons with a notorious 2020 outbreak onboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship. That outbreak, also in New South Wales, led to 914 infections and 28 deaths, an inquiry found. Carnival Australia, part of global leisure company Carnival Corporation & plc, said COVID-positive passengers were isolating onboard and being cared for by medical staff, according to New South Wales Health. The agency said it was working with cruise ship staff to monitor the health of passengers and crew members.

☆ Australia sees spike in cyber attacks from criminals and states
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Lewis Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Cyber attacks against Australia from criminals and state-sponsored groups jumped last financial year, with a government report released on Friday equating the assault to one attack every seven minutes. The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) received 76,000 cybercrime reports last financial year, up 13% from the previous period, according to its latest annual cyber threat report. The ACSC, part of the intelligence-collecting Signals Directorate, reported 95 cyber incidents impacting critical infrastructure last fiscal year. Business losses attributable to cyber crime rose on average 14% over the period, with the average crime costing a small business A$39,000 ($24,540). The jump in attacks and damages is making insurers wary and premiums in Australia jumped 56% year-on-year in the second quarter, according to Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc (MMC.N).

☆ Australia repatriates Australian women and children from Syrian refugee camp
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY Oct 29 (Reuters) - The Australian government has repatriated four Australian women and their 13 children from a Syrian refugee camp to New South Wales state, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said on Saturday. The controversial repatriation, which has sparked criticism from the Liberal-National opposition, is part of bringing back from Syria dozens of Australian women and children who are relatives of dead or jailed Islamic State fighters. Australia first rescued eight children and grandchildren of two dead Islamic State fighters from a Syrian refugee camp in 2019, but has held off repatriating any others until now. read more"The decision to repatriate these women and their children was informed by individual assessments following detailed work by national security agencies," O'Neil said in a statement. The women and children left the al-Roj refugee camp in northern Syria on Thursday afternoon and crossed the border into Iraq to board a flight home, the Sydney Morning Herald and state broadcaster ABC reported on Friday.

☆ Traveller fined, refused entry to Australia for 'significant' biosecurity breach
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Oct 30 (Reuters) - An international traveller has been fined and refused entry to Australia after trying to bring meat into the country in what the government said on Sunday was a "significant breach" of biosecurity laws to protect Australia from foot and mouth disease. Australia earlier this year stepped up protection against foot and mouth disease at its international airports following an outbreak in Indonesia. "Australian biosecurity officers uncovered the undeclared meat during a baggage inspection at Perth Airport (on) October 18," the ministers said. “This is why legislation is in place to cancel the visa of any traveller who commits a significant biosecurity breach or repeatedly contravenes biosecurity laws,” she said. The government has estimated a large outbreak in Australia could see revenue losses of up to $A51.8 billion ($33.2 billion) over ten years.

☆ Paying off hackers is common, says top Australian govt cybersecurity firm
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Corporate insurers routinely pay hackers a ransom for the return of stolen customer data, a top Australian government cybersecurity provider said on Tuesday, as the country's biggest health insurer revealed the growing scale of a recent breach. "In what other sphere of life do you see reputable corporates pay millions of dollars to criminals and somehow it's all okay?" On Tuesday, Medibank said the criminal had shown data of another 1,000 customers and added that the number was likely to grow. 2 telco, Singapore Telecommunciations Ltd-owned (STEL.SI) Optus, said last month about 10 million customer accounts, equivalent to 40% of the Australian population, had data taken by a hacker demanding payment. The federal government has meanwhile said it would introduce fines of up to A$50 million for companies on the receiving end of data breaches.

☆ Australia's No. 1 health insurer says hacker stole patient details
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SYDNEY, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Australia's biggest health insurer said on Thursday a criminal had apparently stolen customers' medical information as part of a massive breach of data, fuelling concern about a wave of high-profile cyber attacks. The company did not say how many of its 4 million customers were likely to have been affected but warned the number was likely to rise. 2 telco Optus, owned by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (STEL.SI), revealed a month ago that data of up to 10 million customers may have been stolen. read moreUntil now, most public commentary has focused on the risk that hackers would use stolen data to access bank accounts. Larger Optus rival Telstra Corp Ltd (TLS.AX) has disclosed a small breach of employee data, while No.

2 mobile operator, said last week that data of up to 10 million customers including home addresses, drivers' licenses and passport numbers had been compromised in one of Australia's biggest data breaches. The Australian federal government has blamed Optus for the breach, flagged an overhaul of privacy rules and higher fines, and suggested the company had "effectively left the window open" for hackers to steal data. Minister For Cyber Security Clare O'Neil said she was "incredibly concerned ... about reports that personal information from the Optus data breach, including Medicare numbers, are now being offered for free and for ransom", referring to the government's health insurance scheme. Optus Chief Executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said the incident had generated "a lot of misinformation" and the company took data protection seriously. "The Optus data has been stolen, and we can't trust this person.

☆ Optus, Australian govt clash over cyber attack amid reports of hacker retreat
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A woman uses her mobile phone as she walks past in front of an Optus shop in Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. Optus Chief Executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said there was lot of "misinformation out there". Rosmarin said Optus had briefed authorities after the government's initial review of the incident. Stolen data posted in an online forum has been deleted and hackers have apologised to Optus, the reports said. Australia's Council Of Financial Regulators, which includes the central bank, on Tuesday said its members have been working together in response to the cyber attack.

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