The Australian Signals Directorate ('ASD') published, on 21 March 2022, its annual report for the year 2020-21. In particular, the report highlights that cybercrime continued to be a pervasive and endemic threat to Australia's economic and social prosperity throughout 2020–21. Furthermore, the ASD noted that ransomware is one of the most significant cybercrime threats Australian organisations faced, with modern ransomware attacks increasingly sequenced and orchestrated. In this regard, the report confirms that 2020–21 saw a nearly 15% increase in ransomware cybercrime reports compared with the previous reporting period.

Moreover, the report notes that the ASD's Australian Cyber Security Centre ('ACSC') remained focused on these emerging cyber threats, including those to critical infrastructure and technologies, families, and businesses. Finally, the report outlines that, in this reporting period, the ACSC launched the 'Act Now, Stay Secure' public awareness campaign, which provided simple, easy-to-use advice to improve security practices and prevent Australians being victims of cybercrime.

You can read the report here.