The last thing superannuation members want to hear is that their retirement savings might be at risk.
But that is exactly what happened last week, when a wave of suspected cyber attacks hit some of Australia's biggest super funds — including industry giant AustralianSuper.
The numbers are unsettling. According to the ABC, AustralianSuper alone was targeted with 600 attempted cyber attacks in a single month.
Four members lost a combined $500,000, and many more have been locked out of their accounts or seen balances showing zero. The situation has rattled confidence and shone a spotlight on the rising threat of cybercrime.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the attack and the growing frequency of such threats — one cyber attack every six minutes in Australia.
In light of the superannuation cybersecurity attacks, investors may now be asking whether they should be looking to cybersecurity as an investment theme.
Well, the good news is that there is an easy way to do it on the Australian share market — with the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK).
Image source: Getty Images
What is the HACK ETF?
The HACK ETF provides investors with easy exposure to a portfolio of global companies at the forefront of the cybersecurity industry.
These are the businesses that are tasked with protecting the digital world — including governments, corporations, and everyday consumers.
Holdings in the ASX ETF include well-known names such as Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), Okta Inc (NASDAQ: OKTA), and Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) — global leaders in cyber threat detection, prevention, and network security. These companies stand to benefit as the world spends more on digital protection.
Why consider this ETF now?
Cybersecurity is no longer a niche concern — it is front-page news. From governments to major corporations and now superannuation funds, the threat of cyberattacks is real, growing, and impossible to ignore.
For investors, this means that the demand for cybersecurity solutions is likely to grow exponentially over the coming years. In fact, according to industry forecasts, global cybersecurity spending could be in the trillions in the near future. Betashares notes:
Data from Cybersecurity Ventures suggests the cost of global cybercrime could top US$10.5 trillion this year alone. 10 years ago, that cost was just US$3 trillion. Investment from corporates in cybersecurity tools, according to the same research houses, is estimated to top US$1.75 trillion in the five years to 2025 (actual outcomes may vary materially from forecasts). In other words, corporate cybersecurity spending – and therefore demand for these services – is likely to grow further.
As more data moves online and cyber threats evolve, companies like those held in the HACK ETF could find themselves in a sweet spot — providing the essential infrastructure that powers digital safety.
In addition, with tech stocks being sold off this month and cybersecurity companies following suit, investors are able to pick up the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF at a fraction of what others were willing to pay just a few weeks ago. All in all, this could make it one to consider when the dust settles on today's market weakness.
