A fresh government report has revealed that more than 40 per cent of Australians who suffered cyberattacks in 2024 were targeted by more than one form of online crime.
The Cybercrime in Australia 2024 report, released on Monday by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), showed that 42.1 per cent of cybercrime victims experienced multiple types of online offences within the same year.
The study examined four major categories of cybercrime: online abuse and harassment, malware, identity theft and misuse, as well as fraud and scams.
It indicated that 47.4 per cent of Australians had encountered at least one form of cybercrime during the year under review.
Online abuse and harassment emerged as the most common, affecting 26.8 per cent of the 10,335 Australians surveyed, followed by identity crime and misuse.
Overall, 6.6 per cent of respondents reported being victimised by all four forms of cybercrime.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Cyber Commander, Graeme Marshall, said the findings highlight the need for consistent vigilance against cyber threats.
“Cybercriminals don’t just move on after one attack. If they find a vulnerability a weak password, outdated software or a compromised email they’ll exploit it repeatedly and in different ways,” he stated.
Although fraud and scams were the least reported, affecting 9.5 per cent of participants, the victims were found to be highly susceptible to other online crimes.
The report added that individuals exposed to three or more types of cybercrime were over three times more likely to face health, financial, or legal consequences than those affected by just one form.