Cyber security: A month in retrospect (Australia) - June 2026

SOCI Act Reforms…no surprise!

In news that will surprise absolutely nobody, the Department of Home Affairs is consulting on 21 proposed amendments to the SOCI Act aimed at simplifying and modernising the regime. Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback before the consultation closes at the end of July. This is a critical juncture in the cyber legislative evolution. Read more here. 

Essential Eight, time to retire?

The ASD Essential Eight has officially started browsing coastal property listings. The ASD has announced plans to retire the framework within two years, replacing it with a broader and more flexible “Essentials” framework. A staged transition will apply, with existing Essential Eight investments expected to remain relevant. Read more here. 

The Anthropic roller coaster continues.

It's been a month of twists and turns for Anthropic. In early June, the company released its new Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models, only to suspend access days later following the introduction of US export controls. Fortunately, the ride wasn't over for long – restrictions were lifted on 30 June, and access has now been restored. Read more here. 

ASIO on edge.

ASIO’s Annual Threat Assessment warns that Australia’s security environment is becoming increasingly complex, with terrorism, foreign interference, espionage and cyber threats arising in new ways. Of particular concern, the assessment highlighted ongoing efforts by nation-state cyber actors to target and infiltrate Australia’s critical infrastructure. As ASIO’s Director-General Mike Burgess observed:

“…the hackers were preparing for sabotage. They weren’t planting ‘digital dynamite’ as such; they were mapping out the network and maintaining access so they could cripple it at a time of their choosing.” Read more here.

Cloud's on the Horizon (2)?

There’s always another horizon beyond the horizon, with the release of the Australian Government’s Horizon 2 Action Plan. The 2026-2028 plan responds to Australia’s evolving cyber threat environment with a focus on strengthening the cyber workforce, improving the security of critical infrastructure and government systems, and supporting the secure adoption of emerging tech. Read more here.

Qilin takes a swing.

Apparently, it’s not enough to target hospitals, infrastructure and large corporates…ransomware groups have apparently decided golf clubs are fair game too. One of Sydney’s long-standing private golf clubs has reportedly become one of the latest Australian organisation targeted by Qilin, amid reports of increased activity by the prolific ransomware-as-a-service operation. Weekend golfers…your handicap may well be published on the dark web soon. Read more here and here. 

No scholars and no gentlemen.

Despite the name, the Gentlemen, another ransomware-as-a-service group, has emerged as one of the most active cybercriminal operations of 2026, reportedly claiming almost 500 victims globally and disrupting Mackay Sugar's operations in Queensland. They are also known for providing dark web publication to extortion gangs without that capability. Read more here and here.

A wolf in sheep's clothing.

It turns out cyber criminals don't always travel in packs. Threat experts are reporting a rise in "lone wolf" hackers. Operators are working independently rather than through organised ransomware groups, making the threat landscape more fragmented and unpredictable. Read more here.