China has sharply rejected Australia’s latest security warning, after ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess revealed that two foreign hacking groups are capable of infiltrating Australia’s critical infrastructure and potentially causing major disruption.
Speaking yesterday, Burgess did not directly name China, but made a pointed reference to “one nation state — no prizes for guessing which one” — that has launched repeated attempts to scan and penetrate Australia’s critical communications networks. According to ASIO, the activity is not isolated, and similar probing has taken place across other Five Eyes countries.
Burgess said the two hacking groups identified by ASIO have demonstrated a capacity to interfere with systems central to Australia’s everyday functioning, warning they could have both “disruptive and destructive” impacts if activated. He stressed that these intrusions are not merely intelligence-gathering operations, but attempts to establish persistent access that could be exploited during a crisis.
In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the claims. Officials dismissed the allegations as baseless, insisting that China does not conduct cyber operations targeting Australia’s infrastructure. The ministry criticised ASIO for “spreading unfounded accusations” and accused Australia of undermining trust at a time when both governments are attempting to stabilise diplomatic ties.
The exchange adds new tension to a bilateral relationship that has improved economically but remains highly sensitive on matters of security, espionage, and foreign interference.
ASIO continues to warn that hostile cyber activity poses an escalating threat, and Burgess has urged both government and industry to regard the situation as a national priority.
