Australia: Cybersecurity

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) received 1,205 data breach notifications in 2025, the highest number since Australia's Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme commenced in 2018. The figures highlight an environment increasingly shaped by persistent cyber threats and AI-enabled risks.

Following the Aristocrat Technologies v Commissioner of Patents decision and updated IP Australia guidance, this article examines strategic approaches to claiming AI and machine learning inventions in Australia. It explores how to identify where real value lies in AI systems, support multiple claiming pathways across the AI lifecycle, and draft patent applications that withstand characterisation challenges by demonstrating practical implementation rather than abstract results.

Ankura's Featured Insights page showcases the firm's latest thought leadership across restructuring, sports infrastructure, cybersecurity threats, joint ventures, and financial operations. The collection spans critical analysis of Australian insolvency data, emerging AI-powered cyber attacks, and strategic guidance for navigating complex commercial conflicts and value creation in high-growth environments.

As organisations increasingly rely on AI and digital technologies, the volume of personal information being collected and managed continues to grow. This article examines five critical areas where Australian businesses can strengthen privacy practices and build trust through proper assessments, transparent workplace surveillance, effective breach response, complaint handling, and careful reliance on legal exceptions.

International cybersecurity authorities have released comprehensive guidance on the secure deployment of agentic AI systems, which autonomously reason, plan and execute actions with limited human intervention. The guide addresses critical security risks including inherited LLM vulnerabilities, expanded attack surfaces, and reduced accountability, while recommending organizations embed security controls from the outset and adopt a progressive deployment approach starting with lower-risk tasks.

Australia has introduced a prioritisation framework for data centre and AI compute projects through Commonwealth Expectations that will influence regulatory approvals and project sequencing.

This case highlights the importance of APP entities being aware of their obligations when it comes to matters of cyber security.

This is a major development for anyone operating in the crypto space or dealing with digital assets in Australia.

Many organisations have not substantially reviewed their cyber incident response plans since they were adopted several years ago.