According to the Australian Signals Directorate’s recent Cyber Threat Report, there’s an increase in state-sponsored cyber attacks on businesses and individuals amid global tensions.

For small and medium companies, the average cost of cybercrime over the past financial year rose by 55 per cent to $97,000.

But for big firms, the average cost is up by 220 per cent, or about $203,000.

The ASD also highlights that hackers are commandeering employees’ home technology without their knowledge, utilizing covert networks referred to as botnets.

“State-sponsored cyber actors have infiltrated home internet-connected devices, like home routers, to establish botnets that aid additional global targeting.”

Home internet routers, firewalls and VPNs were among the “edge devices” targeted by hackers linked with China, the ASD said.

Once network defences were overcome, the criminals were able to access other connected hardware, such as computers and phones.

“By successfully exploiting such technologies, malicious cyber actors can gain an initial foothold on a network for follow-on activity.”

Among 40 companies affected by a significant hack was Qantas, together with Disney and IKEA, when the hacker group Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters stole nearly 1 billion customer data records from the cloud service provider Salesforce in July.