Scientists searching for a COVID-19 vaccine have received assistance from an unlikely source — Australia's top spies.

The threat comes at a time when the nation's defence and space sectors are already being targeted, and there are more foreign spies in Australia than ever before.

Medical research under attack

Intelligence agencies say there has been a noticeable increase in attempts by other countries to steal medical information relating to coronavirus.

Australia recently called out Russia after the United States, United Kingdom and Canada declared Russian hackers had targeted organisations involved in developing a COVID-19 vaccine.

In July, the United States Justice Department accused the Chinese Government of hacking firms developing vaccines.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre has publicly stated it has been working to prevent cyber-attacks related to COVID-19.

In an exclusive interview with the ABC, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess confirmed some of his officers were also assisting.

"There is great interest in medical breakthroughs … sometimes it can be done through covert means [and] that is on the rise," he said.

"We are very much attuned to that and we and others in the community have been active in helping the research institutions understand that's possible.

"Where we see things happening, together we are helping them deal with it."

Aside from talking to medical institutions and scientific organisations about the threat, Mr Burgess confirmed ASIO has carried out some "operational activity" but refused to provide details.

Spying and threats during a pandemic

COVID-19 has changed the way organisations across the world operate and Mr Burgess says ASIO is no different.

"We have managed to maintain a hold on priority targets but we have had to go back to some old fashioned tradecraft," he said.

Mr Burgess said ASIO officers had to change how they communicated and met up with people.

"We have gone back to old tradecraft — including perhaps not [leaving messages] under a rock — but how we might leave a message for one of our sources, it's gone back to the old-fashioned way, not technology."

He said spies and terrorists had used COVID-19 to their advantage, with extremist ideology spreading quickly because more people were online.

Traditionally, major gatherings have been a target for terrorists.

But most large events have been cancelled and shopping centre crowds are much smaller due to coronavirus restrictions.

Despite that, Mr Burgess said the threat was still real.

"The most likely attack in this country is car-borne or a knife attack," he said.

"Maybe shopping centres aren't busy but sadly hospitals are — so people who chose to do those things have other ways to cause harm."