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Report and recover from ransomware   Guidance

Jul 14, 2023 - Learn where to get help from a ransomware attack, and steps to protect yourself against future incidents.

Security tips for online gaming   Guidance

Mar 1, 2024 - The world of online gaming is a popular target for scammers and cybercriminals. Gaming accounts can provide access to game licenses and linked payment methods making them highly valuable.

Australia joins US and UK to warn of 2021 Ransomware trends   News

Feb 10, 2022 - Ransomware continues to be a global threat, and cybercriminals using ransomware pose a significant risk to Australian organisations and households.

Secure your website   Guidance

Jul 29, 2024 - Small business account for over 95% of all businesses in Australia and 72% of them have a website. However, in a world in which websites are increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals, only 36% check for updates every week. For those small businesses with a website, or that are considering one, these three quick wins will help you protect your money, data and reputation.

2021-009: Malicious actors deploying Gootkit Loader on Australian Networks   Advisory

Aug 27, 2021 - From April 2021, the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) has received an increase in reporting of malicious actors targeting Australian networks with Gootkit JavaScript (JS) Loaders. Open-source reporting confirms that Gootkit JS Loaders are a precursor to several malware families traditionally used for cybercrime, notably, Gootkit, REvil ransomware, Kronos, or CobaltStrike. The ASD’s ACSC is providing this information to enable organisations to undertake their own risk assessments and take appropriate actions to secure their systems and networks. The ASD’s ACSC will update this advisory if more information becomes available.

Active exploitation of critical vulnerability in Citrix Application Delivery Controller and Citrix Gateway   Alert

Jan 13, 2020 - The Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is aware of ongoing attempts to exploit a critical vulnerability in Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC) (formerly known as NetScaler ADC), Citrix Gateway (formerly known as NetScaler Gateway) and Citrix SD-WAN WANOP.

Who we are  

Oct 25, 2022 - Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) leads the Australian Government’s efforts to improve cyber security. Our role is to help make Australia the most secure place to connect online.

Fundamentals of Cross Domain Solutions   Publication

Oct 6, 2021 - This publication introduces technical and non-technical audiences to cross domain security principles for securely connecting security domains.

New guidance for software and service manufacturers deploying system updates   News

Oct 25, 2024 - Implementing a safe software deployment program is vital for maintaining customer trust.

System hardening  

Dec 2, 2020 - This page lists publications on the hardening of applications and IT equipment.

Ransomware   Threat

Read through the following case studies and learn from other Australians about how ransomware has affected them.

Iranian-based cyber actors compromising critical infrastructure networks   News

Oct 17, 2024 - Iran-based cyber actors are using brute force attacks such as password spraying to compromise critical infrastructure networks.

Multiple vulnerabilities present in the Spring Framework for Java   Alert

Apr 4, 2022 - The Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) is aware of media reporting relating to multiple potential vulnerabilities, including the so-called SpringShell vulnerability, in the Java Spring framework and its execution environments. These vulnerabilities pose a threat to organisations running applications on the web which contain components using the Java Spring framework.

Critical vulnerability present in certain versions of Microsoft Excel   Alert

Nov 11, 2021 - Microsoft has identified active exploitation of a vulnerability in Microsoft Excel. Affected Australian organisations should apply the available security update as soon as possible.

Multiple vulnerabilities present in VMware products   Alert

Aug 4, 2022 - The Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) is aware of multiple vulnerabilities in VMware products. Affected Australian organisations should take appropriate action.

Copy-paste compromises   Alert

Sep 16, 2020 - The Australian Government is aware of, and responding to, a sustained targeting of Australian governments and companies by a sophisticated state-based actor. The title ‘Copy-paste compromises’ is derived from the actor’s heavy use of tools copied almost identically from open source.

Critical severity vulnerability in Fortinet Fortigate SSL-VPN devices   Alert

Jun 13, 2023 - The Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) is aware of a critical pre-authentication remote code execution vulnerability in Fortinet Fortigate SSL VPN devices. Australian organisations should patch their products and apply any recommended mitigations.

Report  

Apr 11, 2023 - Report a cybercrime, incident or vulnerability.

Practical cybersecurity tips for business leaders   Publication

Jan 17, 2024 - Business leaders can be appealing targets for malicious actors due to the sensitive information they can access, the important people they interact with and the influence they hold. This publication includes a checklist of practical tips business leaders can implement to improve their cybersecurity. The checklist is followed by a brief explanation of each tip and why it is recommended.

Report a cyber security incident   Service

If you are reporting fraud or cybercrime, please refer to the ReportCyber – Cybercrime page.

Single Reporting Portal   Guidance

Nov 22, 2023 - To help you meet your reporting responsibilities, the Australian Government has brought together a list of Commonwealth legislative reporting requirements that could be triggered by a cybersecurity incident.

Report and recover from hacking   Guidance

Apr 11, 2023 - If someone has stolen your money or personal information, find out what to do and who to contact. We also provide advice on how to avoid scams in future.

Marketing and filtering email service providers   Publication

Oct 6, 2021 - This publication provides high level guidance on how to use email service providers (ESPs) in particular deployment scenarios. The considerations and controls described in that publication also apply to ESPs sending email on other organisations’ behalf.

Secure administration   Publication

Oct 6, 2021 - Privileged access allows administrators to perform their duties, and is often seen as the ‘keys to the kingdom’. This publication provides guidance on how to implement secure administration techniques as part of the management of privileged access.

Antivirus software   Guidance

Apr 11, 2023 - The consequences of viruses, spyware and other malicious software can be serious and far reaching. Follow our guidance about using antivirus software.

Phone and email scammers impersonating the ASD's ACSC   Alert

Jan 19, 2022 - The Australian government will NEVER phone you to request access to your computer, or request you to purchase cryptocurrencies or gift cards. If you receive a suspicious phone call, take the caller's details, hang up and contact the company they claim to represent via official communication channels listed on their website. Never call a number provided by the scammer.

Protect yourself online: A guide to cybersecurity for young people   Guidance

May 2, 2024 - The steps in this guide can help you navigate the online world with confidence.

Log4j: What Boards and Directors Need to Know   Advisory

Jan 7, 2022 - Log4j is a software library used as a building block found in a wide variety of Java applications. The Log4j vulnerability – otherwise known as Log4Shell – is trivial to exploit, and represents a significant business continuity risk. This publication outlines what Boards and Directors need to know in order to protect their businesses.

Joint cybersecurity advisory released on 2021's top routinely exploited vulnerabilities   News

Apr 28, 2022 - Malicious cyber actors are aggressively targeting newly-disclosed and dated critical software vulnerabilities against a broad range of targets, including public and private sector organisations worldwide.

Safe Software Deployment   Publication

Oct 25, 2024 - It is critical for all software manufacturers to implement a safe software deployment program supported by verified processes, including robust testing and measurements.