Australian cyber agency says security may have to come before keeping services online

Australia's signals intelligence agency has told the public to expect more essential online services to be taken offline without warning, because organisations are being urged to put security ahead of availability, The Guardian reports. The warning comes in the Australian Signals Directorate's annual cyber threat report, which also calls on businesses and critical infrastructure operators to adopt advanced AI models for defence.

A sharper threat picture

According to the report, the agency handled 1,500 cybersecurity incidents in the 2025-26 year, a rise of 20% on the year before. It also alerted businesses, governments and infrastructure operators to more than 4,400 possible malicious incidents, an 80% increase. The agency expects AI to speed up these dangers.

The report says hostile foreign governments, criminal groups and hackers are using AI to collect intelligence, disrupt infrastructure and steal money. It describes "persistent" attempts by state-based actors to break into Australian government and private networks, and suggests some actors in the Indo-Pacific may be positioning themselves for intelligence gathering or disruption in any future conflict.

Fighting AI with AI

ASD director general Abigail Bradshaw argued that automated, AI-driven defences are needed to keep pace with attackers who use the same technology. The report says AI tools built into security operations can help spot weaknesses and suspicious activity and improve how organisations respond. Bradshaw has previously said the agency has access to a frontier AI model that its developer withheld from public release because of its ability to uncover unknown software flaws.

Bradshaw also singled out legacy technology, meaning outdated systems and devices that no longer receive updates, as one of the largest risks and a favourite target for attackers. The agency described cybersecurity as a core business risk and a responsibility for leadership, not only a technical matter. It urged organisations to update their systems, seek its assistance and report suspicious activity.

Defence minister Richard Marles and Bradshaw both said keeping systems secure should take priority over keeping them running, which could mean more services are paused while fixes are applied. The report follows a recent scramble by governments and businesses to patch newly found vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language used by most websites.

What it means for internet users and site owners

For anyone who runs a website or depends on online services, the report points to a period of more frequent planned and unplanned downtime as patches are rolled out. Keeping software, plugins and devices up to date, retiring unsupported systems and having a plan for temporary outages are practical steps that match the agency's advice.