The Albanese government has launched a new joint task force to “hack the hackers” and disrupt cyberattacks before they are committed.

Australia will establish a permanent task force of around 100 police and defence personnel dedicated to hacking the hackers, with a priority of targeting ransomware groups.

The new taskforce between the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Signals Directorate is said to be a groundbreaking approach to law enforcement, following AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw’s statement that Russia is the source of the Medibank data breach.

On Saturday morning Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Minister for Cyber Security Clare O’Neil said the operation will collect intelligence and identify ring-leaders, networks and infrastructure in order to disrupt and stop the hackers operations.

O’Neil says Medibank customers’ information had been stolen by Russian thugs, and while some in the community may think not much can be done to tackle cybercrime, “that is not true”.

“Around the world, governments are stepping up and arming up in this fight, and the Australian government is joining them.”

“The operation aims to “stop incidents before they start”; in addition, “where incidents do take place… cyber criminals will be hunted down and their networks disrupted.” says O’Neil

The taskforce will be bankrolled by existing funds to investigate cybercriminals and disrupt their activities before they launch an attack and remain a permanent operation.

In a press conference from Melbourne O’Neil said that the permanent operation represented “a new model of policing”.

According to O’Neil the joint standing operation wont only be responding to crimes as they affect Australians, they will also aim to hunt gangs around the world and disrupting the activities of the cyber criminals.

Dreyfus says the government is looking hard at Russia’s diplomatic profile in Australia and all options remain under consideration.

While his preference was to maintain the status quo, Dreyfus did not announce ruling out expelling Russian diplomats from Australia.

“The taskforce would work with international partners, including the FBI and Interpol, and called on other nations to do the same.” says Dreyfus

He said no country should stand by and not assist any other country that is asking for help – any country that harbours criminals of this kind is in fact assisting.

The government, Dreyfus said, will continue to request assistance in combating cybercrime, in response to a question about whether Russia would help.

On Friday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that he authorised the release of the AFP’s findings about the source of the Medibank hack because the “disgusting” attacks must be condemned.

“The nation where these attacks are coming from should also be held accountable for the disgusting attacks, and the release of information including very private and personal information.”

“We know where they’re coming from, we know who is responsible, and we say that they should be held to account,” the PM said