Are we Losing the Battle with Data Breaches?
Social engineering involves deceptive tactics to trick individuals and organisations into revealing sensitive information, often used for fraudulent purposes. According to a recent report, Services Australia experienced 49 data breaches by July 2024, a staggering 440% increase compared to the previous year. This rise has largely been linked to stolen personal information from previous data hacks.
Government agencies, including Services Australia, are struggling to combat these sophisticated scams, with more than 14,000 Australians notified of potential data breaches this year alone. High-profile incidents, such as the MediSecure data breach affecting 12.9 million Australians, highlight the scale of the problem. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) reported 527 data breaches in the first half of 2024, the highest in over three years.
Australian Privacy Commissioner has emphasised that current privacy and security measures are not keeping up with the growing threats. Despite new legislation and penalties for organisations, the rise in scams and identity theft continues unabated. Strengthening security across both government and private sectors is now a priority, but the battle against cybercriminals remains an uphill struggle.