The home affairs department had suffered a data leak when they accidentally published personal information of more 50 small businesses who participated in a cybersecurity survey. This survey was part of a research report being put together for a government program that is aimed at training small businesses and the workforce to be “cyber smart” and aware of possible cyber threats. The program was launched in the wake of last year’s Optus and Medibank cyber-attacks. The shadow cyber security and home affairs minister said that departments should be an exemplar of good cyber security practice and privacy protection. He also said that it is deeply ironic that this breach of personally identifiable information occurred in an answer to a question about improving cyber security for small businesses, and from a department whose minister publicly attacked Optus when they had similar data stolen by a criminal gang.
This segment was created for the It’s 5:05 podcast