ONE of the world’s most powerful intelligence officials has held classified briefings with Australian spy chiefs amid fears a new round of damaging Snowden leaks could soon be released.

The Daily Telegraph has learned US National Security Agency director of technology Lonny Anderson was in Australia a week ago for secret meetings with key officials from ASIO, ASIS and the Australian Signals Directorate.

Intelligence officials confirmed Mr Anderson had held briefings with key Australian agencies. While they could not reveal the nature of the briefings, sources in the intelligence community said they believed the possibility of more damaging leaks was discussed.

Mr Anderson has been responsible for tightening security at the NSA in the wake of leaks from ex-NSA contractor Snowden and is believed to have briefed Australian agencies about cyber security.

The NSA was rocked last year by publication of files stolen by Snowden, now living in exile in Russia. Australia ­expressed its concern over how US agencies allowed Australian secrets to be stolen by a “trusted insider’’.

With an estimated 15,000 Australian intelligence files stolen, intelligence officials fear further leaks. The leaks contained top ­secret information about surveillance missions run by the NSA and the Five Eyes — a network comprising the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

The leaks temporarily shattered Australia’s relationship with Indonesia when it was ­revealed Australian spies had been listening to the former Indonesian president’s phone calls and had hacked the phone of the president’s wife.

Intelligence officials admitted there was the possibility of more damaging secrets yet to be revealed which could harm Australia’s relationships with other countries.