Australian businesses and research institutions are being targeted by foreign intelligence services seeking to benefit their country by accessing privileged information.
In early 2022, ASIO established the Notifiable Incidents, Threats and Reportable Observations (NITRO) online portal to provide a mechanism for non-clearance holders to report information related to espionage, foreign interference, or insider threats.
The portal allows ASIO and the Australian Government to collaborate with business and academia to help preserve Australia’s sovereign capability and commercial and scientific advantage and protect Australia’s $270 billion investment in defence industry.
When should the NITRO portal be used?
If you have concerns regarding suspicious or unusual activity related to espionage, foreign interference, or insider threats, you should contact your agency’s or company’s security manager or advisor in the first instance.
If you don’t have a suitable security contact, or if your concern is not resolved, the matter can be reported directly to ASIO via its portal.
Reporting a suspicious matter via NITRO
If your concerns cannot be resolved through the appropriate internal channels, you may choose to make a report about suspected espionage, foreign interference, or insider threats to ASIO via the NITRO portal.
You will be asked whether your concern relates to defence, education, or another area. You will then be asked to provide the following information:
- Employment details such as who you work for and what you do. For example, you may wish to include details of your research, collaborators, funding, supply chain links, whether you are a small to medium enterprise, or contractor and sub‑contractor arrangements.
- What happened that concerned you. You may wish to provide details of contact with foreign nationals seeking expert opinion or advice, behaviours which indicate a threat to information or physical security, incidents where something has gone missing in suspicious circumstances which could advantage another government/business, or any other situation that you feel should be reported.
- When and where the incident happened.
- Details of who was involved.
- Your contact details.
