Iranian hackers suspected in Austal cyber breach and extortion attempt

Iranian hackers have been blamed for the cyber attack on Australia’s biggest defence exporter, Austal.

ABC reports intelligence agency, the Australian Cyber Security Centre, has determined Iranian hackers were behind the cyber attack and extortion attempt on the Perth-based shipbuilder last month.

Austal revealed earlier this month it had been targeted by hackers in mid-October who accessed staff email addresses, phone numbers and ship designs, then attempted to sell them online.

A Home Affairs Department spokesman has told the national broadcaster the attack was conducted by a “malicious actor” who sought to profit from it.

At the time, Austal said there was no evidence to suggest that information affecting national security or the commercial operations of the company had been stolen.

ABC reports there is no indication of whether the perpetrators were linked to the Iranian Government.

Read the article in The Daily Telegraph.