Australia sets up cyber attack unit against foreign enemies

The Australian Department of Cyber ​​Security has just established a military cyber security unit to expand cyber attacks against hostile forces abroad.

The new malware, an improved version of Petya, has affected many banks in Ukraine and paralyzed the country's ATM system - Photo: Reuters

"This is a result of the changing nature of modern conflict," Cyber ​​Security Minister Dan Tehan told reporters in Melbourne today, June 30.

The new unit, known as the information warfare division, will allow Australia to step up cyber attacks against groups such as the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, Reuters news agency reported.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said such a unit would make a valuable contribution to efforts to weaken the hold of jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

Australia's Defense Department said the cyber attacks were an additional part of its role in the US-led fight against IS alongside air strikes and other combat operations.

Minister Tehan confirmed the new unit would also have a rapid response mission to protect Australia's armed forces from cyber attacks and free up other Australian government agencies to expand their mandate from protection to conducting cyber attacks against overseas adversaries.

The creation of a new cyber security unit in Australia comes amid a wave of global cyber attacks that have affected companies around the world, such as the WannaCry virus and the Petya malware that originated from accounting software in Ukraine.

Australia has been fortunate to have been spared serious attacks, but Mr Tehan said the global impact of recent cyber attacks showed the need to wage war against foreign hackers.

"We need to make sure that we are keeping mums and dads, businesses big and small, government departments safe in this country," Tehan said.

According to TTO