Originally published in Capital Brief on 27 October 2025.
As hackers grow bolder and AI supercharges scams, Australians face a digital battleground that demands sharper defences, writes Senator Raff Ciccone.
WHEN was the last time you updated your online passwords? If you had to pause and think, it’s probably been too long. Cyber security is too often an afterthought, even as data breaches and scams dominate the headlines.
In today’s connected world, so much of our daily life happens online, whether we’re banking, working, shopping, studying or spending time on social media. Despite the convenience this brings, cyber security frequently falls down the priority list.
Every week, headlines remind us how easily data can be stolen and accounts compromised. The personal data of Australians is frequently released onto the dark web after being stolen from company records by cybercriminals. Names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and account details are often exposed.
October marks Cyber Security Awareness Month, and this year’s theme — ‘building our cyber safe culture’ — encourages Australians to protect their accounts and devices.
Many of us are guilty of not changing passwords regularly, skipping multi-factor authentication (MFA) or delaying important software updates.
The good news is we can all improve our online safety through simple, everyday actions.
First, keep your devices protected by installing software updates as soon as they become available.
Next, create strong, unique passphrases — longer, more secure versions of passwords made up of a sequence of words or characters — for every account to prevent easy access.
Then, enable MFA wherever possible for an extra layer of protection.
Finally, if you receive an unexpected call or message, don’t engage — hang up and contact the organisation directly through official channels.
These small, simple steps make a big difference in safeguarding your personal information and reducing the risk of falling victim to scams, identity theft or cyberattacks.
As scams become more sophisticated — particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence — Australians need accurate, up-to-date advice on how to stay protected.
The Australian Government’s Act Now. Stay Secure cyber security awareness website offers reliable information and practical resources to help everyone adopt safe cyber habits.
The simple fact is cyber security is no longer just a concern for tech experts and large corporations — it’s something every Australian needs to take seriously.
The Cybercrime in Australia: 2024 report, released by the Australian Institute of Criminology in August, showed that 47 per cent of Australian internet users experienced cybercrime in the past 12 months, including online abuse, identity theft, malware and scams.
Alarmingly, the report revealed that “many respondents are not taking simple but important steps to improve their online safety”, with only around half using different passwords for secure accounts or MFA for personal logins.
Participation in online safety practices also declined from 2023 to 2024, highlighting the urgent need for greater cyber awareness and action.
The Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC), the Government’s technical authority on cyber security, also released its Annual Cyber Threat Report this month. It found that cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors continue to relentlessly target Australian individuals and businesses.
High-profile incidents such as the recent Qantas data breach show that major corporations must take cyber security as seriously as consumers do. Protecting customer information is not just a technical issue but a fundamental responsibility.
In 2024–25, the Australian Cyber Security Hotline received more than 42,500 calls — a 16 per cent increase on the previous year. The ACSC responded to over 1,200 cyber security incidents, an 11 per cent increase.
According to the Annual Cyber Threat Report, the average self-reported cost of cybercrime rose sharply — up 14 per cent to $56,600 for small businesses and 8 per cent to $33,000 for individuals.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers recently called this “a very big and serious risk” to the economy, stressing that cyber security is not just a technical issue but “a big risk to small businesses, businesses of all sizes, our community more broadly and our country”.
He noted the government is investing billions to combat cyberattacks and urged Australians to “be vigilant in their own lives and in their own small businesses”.
To strengthen support for victims, the Albanese Labor Government recently announced a $15 million investment over three years to fund Identity Care Australia and New Zealand Limited (IDCARE). This funding ensures IDCARE can continue helping individuals recover from identity crime and mitigate the damage caused.
With this support, IDCARE assisted nearly 100,000 victims in the past financial year, including older Australians, people in rural and remote areas and those from diverse backgrounds.
Staying safe and secure online doesn’t require technical know-how — just a few smart habits. Update your passwords, enable MFA, avoid clicking on suspicious links, be cautious when using public Wi-Fi, and keep your devices up to date.
We all have a role to play in strengthening Australia’s cyber defences. This Cyber Security Awareness Month, take a moment to review your online habits — because staying safe online starts with each of us.
