The rapid increase in the number of data breaches in Australia in the first half of 2024 is indicative of the challenges facing the country's new signals intelligence chief, Abigail Bradshaw. A few days before she was appointed director of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) on 6 September, Canberra unveiled statistics showing a 9% increase in data breaches compared to the second half of 2023.

This surge in digital interference meant there was broad political consensus on promoting the former