Australia Warns of Malicious Websites After Global Cyber Outage

Australia's cyber intelligence agency warned that malicious websites and unofficial code were circulating online following a global digital outage caused by a botched software update from CrowdStrike. The agency urged consumers to rely only on official CrowdStrike sources for recovery information. The outage affected numerous sectors including media, retail, and airlines.

Australia's cyber intelligence agency announced on Saturday that 'malicious websites and unofficial code' were emerging online, claiming to help with recovery efforts from Friday's global digital outage. The incident impacted media outlets, retailers, banks, and airlines.

Australia was among the many nations hit by the disruption resulting from a failed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) issued an advisory, cautioning that these malicious sites and codes falsely purport to aid recovery from the CrowdStrike technical mishap.

On its official webpage, the agency's cyber security center urged consumers to seek technical information exclusively from official CrowdStrike channels. Cyber Security Minister Clare O'Neil also warned Australians via the social media platform X to be vigilant against potential scams and phishing attempts.

The outage affected Commonwealth Bank of Australia, causing some customers to face PayID payment issues, which were later resolved. Qantas and Sydney airport also experienced delays. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed there was no impact on critical infrastructure, government services, or emergency systems.

CrowdStrike, a leading global cybersecurity firm with close to 30,000 subscribers, has previously achieved a market valuation of approximately $83 billion.

(With inputs from agencies.)