Attacks on Australian computer systems are at record levels. More than 1000 incidents a week are being reported, internal figures from the security organisation, AusCERT, reveal.

The rate of attack has doubled every year since 2001 with 12,457 incidents reported to AusCERT (Australian Computer Emergency Response Team) from last April to the end of June.

This is a dramatic jump compared with the corresponding period last year, when 6415 attacks were reported.

AusCERT general manager Graham Ingram said 25,197 "incidents" had been reported in the first six months of this year, compared with 40,369 for all 2002 - a year in which figures jumped because of malicious worms, such as Code Red, which scanned systems for vulnerabilities.

Some 347 attacks had been successful so far this year, meaning a hacker had gained some form of privileged access to a network.

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