At a glance
This advisory warns about a rise in denial‑of‑service (DoS) attacks that are affecting Australians. These attacks try to overwhelm websites or online services so that they stop working properly. Anyone who relies on the internet, including individuals, small businesses, and organisations, may be affected. This page explains the risk in simple terms and outlines steps to limit disruption. It is written for both technical and non‑technical readers.
Key actions
Talk with your internet service provider about protection against denial‑of‑service attacks.
Monitor systems so that service disruptions are detected quickly.
Make sure response plans include steps for handling service outages.
Report serious cyber security incidents to the ACSC as soon as possible.
Background / What has happened?
ASD has observed an increase in denial-of-service (DoS) attacks against Australian organisations.
DoS attacks are designed to disrupt or degrade online services, making it difficult for legitimate users to access the websites and services they rely on, such as banking, medical or shopping sites.
DoS attacks are becoming increasingly common, in part due to the increase in the number of easily compromised Internet of Things (IoT) devices. As IoT manufacturers often prioritise user experience over cyber security, vulnerable devices can include regular household items that connect to the internet such as smart TVs, kettles, vacuum cleaners and security systems.
These devices can often be remotely compromised by malicious actors and used to flood websites with internet traffic, causing outages.
Mitigations / How do I stay secure?
Organisations cannot avoid being targeted by DoS attacks, but there are a number of mitigations that organisations can implement to prepare for and potentially reduce their impact.
Tailored advice for organisations is available in ASD’s Preparing for and responding to denial-of-service attacks publication.
Individuals are encouraged to follow ASD’s Internet of Things devices and Secure your Wi-Fi and router publications to avoid unintentionally contributing to the infrastructure that allows DoS attacks to occur.
Assistance / Where can I go for help?
The ASD's ACSC is monitoring the situation and is able to provide assistance and advice as required. Organisations or individuals that have been impacted or require assistance can contact us via 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371)