Breach, Compliance Management, Data Security, Privacy

Australia immigration dept. leaked 2014 G20 leaders’ personal info

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Australia's Department of Immigration and Border Protection inadvertently leaked information about world leaders who attended the 2014 G20 Summit in Brisbane Australia.

The data containing personal identifiers such as passport numbers and visa details of all leaders in attendance was accidentally sent to organizers of the Asian Cup Soccer Tournament, according to a report in The Guardian.

An email sent to the commissioner's office from the department explained that the data breach happened on November 7, 2014, when an employee of the department mistakenly sent an email to the wrong address.

The recipient has since deleted all traces of the breach from their computer, the agency said, noting that the information “lacked other identifiers” to pose a significant threat. It is unclear if the Australian immigration department immediately notified the world leaders of the breach after its initial assessment. 

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