Australia has experienced a raft of cyber attacks on some of its largest companies since late last year, with breaches reported by at least eight companies, including Optus, owned by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, and health insurer Medibank Private Ltd. Technology experts say hackers have targeted Australia just as a skills shortage leaves companies with an understaffed and overworked cybersecurity workforce ill-equipped to stop attacks. IPH said it is working with external cybersecurity advisers to conduct a forensic investigation and that it has notified the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) of the incident. Last month, Canberra announced plans to overhaul its cyber security rules and set up an agency to oversee government investment in the field and help coordinate responses to hacker attacks amid mounting pressure to crack down on cybercrime. IPH shares tumbled 12% to A$7.36, in their biggest one-day fall in over three years.