Evolution Mining, a major Australian gold producer, has confirmed it was the target of a ransomware attack on its IT systems. 

The attack, which was detected on 8 August, has been reported to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).

In a statement released to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on 12 August, the Sydney-based company said the situation has been contained and no material impact on its operations is expected.

The company has been working with external cyber forensic experts to address the incident. 

“Based on work to date, the company believes the incident is now contained,” Evolution stated.

Despite the attack, Evolution Mining does not anticipate any significant disruption to its operations. 

This includes its major mining sites on the east coast, such as the Cowal and Northparkes mines in New South Wales and the Ernest Henry and Mount Rawdon mines in Queensland. 

The company also operates the Mungari gold mine in Western Australia, which is currently undergoing a $250 million expansion, and the Red Lake mine in Canada.

The incident highlights the growing threat of cyber attacks on Australia's resources sector. 

Cybersecurity experts warn that companies in this sector may increasingly become targets for hackers.

According to the ACSC's 2022-23 Cyber Threat Report, there were nearly 94,000 cybercrime reports during the period, equivalent to one report every six minutes. 

The average cost to large businesses per cybercrime report was $71,600. 

The ACSC has briefed board members and company directors representing 33 per cent of the ASX200 on these growing cyber threats.