Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday life in Australia, but its growing use is also raising concerns about cybercrime, according to a new national survey.
Research from Sekuro and Women in Digital found that 84% of Australians expect AI to increase cybercrime. The survey covered 2,003 Australian adults, with 74% saying they use AI tools and 45% using them at least weekly.
Around 8 in 10 respondents were concerned that AI could increase their vulnerability to cyber attacks, including 37% who were “very concerned”. The concern was higher among older Australians, with almost half of those aged 65 and above described as “very worried”, compared with around 1 in 4 people aged 18–34.
The Cybercrime Victimisation in Australia report also found that 42% of Australians had been exposed to cybercrime over the past 5 years, while 27% had become victims. Among those who had been hacked, 40% said they had experienced victimisation more than once.
Underreporting remains a major issue. The report identified a “dark figure” of cybercrime, with 44% of people who experienced cybercrime saying they did not report it through any channel. The figure rose to 51% for data breaches.
While overall victimisation rates were similar for men and women, women faced more targeted forms of cybercrime, including digital stalking, coercive control and image-based abuse.
“Cybercrime can be deeply personal for victims, whether it involves sensitive information, threats or intimidation. When technology is used to stalk, control or exploit someone, the consequences can extend beyond the digital world and into people’s everyday lives,” said Holly Hunt, CEO and Founder of Women in Digital.
“Shame can also play a powerful role in keeping victims silent. Fear of judgement, further exposure or being blamed can stop people from reporting, creating cybercrime that sits outside our official statistics and leaves some of the most harmful forms of offending largely unseen,” she added.
The report cited data showing women are more likely to experience technology-facilitated abuse from an intimate or former partner and are twice as likely to fear for their physical safety, at 26.3% compared with 12.6%. It also cited research showing 97.6% of victims did not report such abuse to eSafety and 91.7% did not report it to police, while 34.3% told nobody.
Overall, 71% were worried about cybercrime affecting themselves or their family, while 59% were more concerned than 2 years ago. Financial scams ranked highest at 29%, followed by hacking at 27% and data breaches at 24%.
Meanwhile, 98% reported taking some protective action, including avoiding suspicious links and emails (79%), using multi-factor authentication (71%) and limiting personal information shared online (65%).
Sekuro CEO Noel Allnutt said prevention should not rest only with individuals. “We know most Australians are already taking steps to protect themselves online. However, cyber hygiene is becoming increasingly overwhelming, and preventing cybercrime can’t rest on individuals alone.”
“This overlooks how complicated these situations can be, particularly when cybercrime becomes personal and criminals take advantage of people’s trust and vulnerability.
“We need systems, workplaces and technologies that recognise how criminals target people, and make it easier for victims to know where to turn and get help when they need it.”
The report calls for simpler and safer reporting, including a single national reporting pathway and stronger preparation for AI-enabled cybercrime.
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