The AI Attack Explosion — Australia Is Getting Hit Harder Than Anyone
Estimated Exposure: The AI Attack Explosion — Australia Is Getting Hit Harder Than Anyone
What Happened: 36% of all cyber attacks against Australian businesses in 2024 were AI-generated. That’s a higher rate than the US and UK. Ransomware incidents surged 149% in early 2025. 80% of ransomware attacks now use AI tools. One in five Australian SMBs that got hit filed for bankruptcy or closed permanently.
54 billion malicious requests blocked by Wordfence in one year — billion, not million. 84,700 cybercrime reports in Australia per year. One every six minutes. Average cost per SMB incident: $56,600. That’s a new ute. The internet hasn’t lit up yet. The 5 million professional scammers haven’t found the AI
tutorials on YouTube. When they do, these numbers won’t rise. They’ll detonate.
Source: Cyble Threat Intelligence Report 2024
What Happened: $235,400 Gone — Victim Found Legally Liable – Legal Precedent, WA
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Note Worthy Australian Statistics
Statistics:
$202,700 avg cost for large business incidents — up 219% YoY (ASD 2024-25)
334 million malicious domains blocked by ASD — up 307% (ASD 2024-25)
1,200+ cyber incidents responded to — up 11% (ASD 2024-25)
Healthcare ransomware incidents doubled in FY2024-25
Australian Statistics Only
Australian Numbers
Aus Numbers
84,700 cybercrime reports per year in Australia. Once every 6 minutes. — ACSC 2024-25
$56,600 average cost per SMB incident. Up 14%. — ACSC 2024-25
309,000 Australian small businesses targeted. — Mastercard
$152,600,000 lost to business email compromise in Australia in 2023-24. — AFP
138 ransomware incidents handled by ACSC in one year. — ACSC 2024-25
$56,600 average. That’s a new ute. Or an apprentice’s annual wages. Gone in one incident.
Australian Incidents Only