Australia’s top spy accuses Chinese hackers of targeting critical infrastructure.
London-UK, November 13, 2025
Cyber Sabotage Threat: Australia’s Top Spy Accuses Chinese Hackers of Targeting Critical Infrastructure
The security relationship between Canberra and Beijing has been dramatically inflamed after Australia’s top spy accuses Chinese hackers of actively and systematically targeting critical infrastructure networks across the nation.
Mike Burgess, the Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), delivered the blistering assessment, revealing that state-backed cyber groups linked to the Chinese government and military are probing key Australian networks, including water, energy, transport, and telecommunications.
Speaking at a conference in Melbourne, Australia, the spy chief warned that the intent behind this cyber-enabled sabotage is not merely espionage but a pre-positioning to “disrupt and destroy,” a threat that could cost the Australian economy billions of dollars in a single week.
Headline Points: The Espionage and Sabotage Threat
The Accusation:
Australia’s top spy, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess, explicitly accuses a “nation state”—leaving little doubt about China—of repeated attempts to scan and penetrate critical infrastructure.
Targeted Systems:
The Chinese hackers are focusing on high-impact sectors including water, energy, transport, and telecommunications systems.
The Intent:
Burgess warned that the goal is “cyber-enabled sabotage,” giving the foreign power the ability to “turn off” key Australian services at a time of its choosing.
Hacker Groups Identified:
ASIO has identified two Chinese-linked cyber groups, Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, noting that these groups have also carried out similar probing attacks against U.S. infrastructure.
Economic Cost:
Burgess estimated that foreign espionage already costs Australia approximately A$12.5 billion ($8.1 billion) annually and warned that a week-long disruption of infrastructure could escalate the cost to $6 billion.
Call to Action:
The spy chief urged Australian businesses to bolster cybersecurity defenses and prepare for potential scenarios where vital services could be intentionally crippled.
Pre-Positioning for Potential Sabotage
Director-General Burgess used his public address to dismantle the conventional notion that state-sponsored hacking is solely about spying and stealing trade secrets. His primary focus was the escalation to cyber-enabled sabotage.
He warned that the sophisticated Chinese hackers are not just gathering intelligence;
they are establishing a persistent, undetected presence inside Australia’s critical infrastructure networks.
The groups identified, Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, are known to be highly advanced and operate under the direction of Chinese intelligence and military agencies.
Their tactic, known as “living off the land,” involves using native network tools to blend into the system, making them incredibly difficult to detect. This pre-positioning allows a foreign state to activate its access points and disrupt or destroy vital services at a moment of geopolitical tension.
Burgess used the example of US telecommunications being compromised by Salt Typhoon as a serious precursor to the threat facing Australia.
The targeting of water, energy, and transport networks is especially alarming. Crippling these systems would paralyze the national economy, disrupt logistics, and induce massive public fear, demonstrating that cyber capabilities are now viewed as a central, non-kinetic element of modern warfare.
The Cost of Complacency
The ASIO chief’s message was a direct challenge to the Australian business community, which he warned is often too focused on the immediate costs of espionage rather than the catastrophic potential of sabotage.
While the estimated current cost of foreign espionage is already high, Burgess emphasized that the strategic vulnerability posed by the access Chinese hackers have gained is the far greater threat.
The diplomatic relationship between Australia and China is already fragile, having been strained by trade disputes and regional competition. ASIO’s public and direct accusation introduces a new, serious layer of security mistrust. While the Chinese embassy has been contacted for a response, past accusations have been met with denials, often labeling such claims as “baseless hype.”
Burgess concluded with a plea for immediate defensive action. He stressed that once access is gained—once the network is penetrated—what happens next is a matter of intent, not capability.
The onus is now on the Australian government to respond to the spy chief’s warning with increased investment in cyber defenses and clear regulatory standards to ensure that the nation’s critical infrastructure is shielded from the looming threat of Chinese state-backed cyber-enabled sabotage.
