Cyber Attack Forces Australian Port Operators To Stop Operating

Australian Minister of Home Affairs, Clare O'Neil (photo: Twitter @ClareONeilMP)

JAKARTA - The Australian government announced on Saturday 11 November that it is coordinating a response to a cybersecurity incident that forced port operators of DP World Australia to stop operations in ports in several states.

A spokesman for the DP World Australia told Reuters on Saturday that operations at the affected port had not yet recovered. A statement from the company stated that it was "working hard to restore normal operations safely" after the breach was detected on Friday evening, November 10.

Australia's Minister of Home Affairs, Clare O'Neil, said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday that the government was coordinating the response.

"Australian National Cybersecurity Coordinator, who was appointed earlier this year in response to several major data breaches, is managing an official response to the incident," O'Neil said.

DP World Australia, part of the state-owned port giant Dubai DP World, operates four container terminals in Australia in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Fremantle, Western Australia.

According to DP World, in the Asia Pacific region, the company has more than 7,000 employees and has ports and terminals in 18 locals.