Office of the Privacy Commissioner

Traitors under our skin? Sebastian Morgan-Lynch
4 April 2017 at 09:44

When Ross Compton’s house caught fire in September 2016, he was able to escape unscathed, with a suitcase full of clothes and the charger for his external heart pump. But when the 59-year-old US man explained to arson investigators how he’d broken the window with his cane and hurled his most important belongings out the window before scrambling to safety, they weren’t convinced. And so, in a twist that would have been science fictional a few years ago, they interrogated his heart.

Health Information Privacy Code, health, cybersecurity

Hager and Westpac - A bit more context, information and clarification Sam Grover
22 March 2017 at 09:50

There has been a significant amount of media coverage about our investigation into Westpac bank disclosing journalist Nicky Hager’s bank account information to Police in 2014. In the course of that reporting, some misconceptions have emerged. Because of the interest in the case, and the potential implications for future practice, we have noted some points of clarification and context below.

finance, law enforcement, IPP11 - disclosure

Breach Case 2: Don't bite when a phisher calls Neil Sanson
20 March 2017 at 14:42

A recent data breach involved a deliberate email phishing* attack on an industry organisation. The email purported to come from the chief executive and requested a copy of the membership list (names and email addresses).

cybersecurity, email, data, breach

Me and AboutMe Nicole Walker
17 March 2017 at 11:05

I recently received a bill from a local authority relating to work carried out on my property before I bought it. I was not responsible for the bill and I had challenged it successfully on three previous occasions. But it kept coming back.

IPP5 - storage & security, IPP6 - access

Centrelink hits trouble with information matching Charles Mabbett
10 February 2017 at 10:30

The controversy embroiling Centrelink, the Australian government agency that provides welfare payments, shows no sign of abating as a public and political backlash continues over its apparent mishandling of a debt recovery programme.

IPP7 - correction, data, complaints, International

Beware the phishers Charles Mabbett
9 February 2017 at 12:53

The salutation on the email simply said “Hi”. It arrived at 4.36am on a public holiday in the inbox of a public facing email address, and it appeared to have been sent from a personal email address belonging to the organisation’s chief executive.

cybersecurity, email, breach, data

Breach Case 1: Name your documents clearly Neil Sanson
8 February 2017 at 14:01

It is so easy to send the wrong attachment with an email, especially if the documents you are selecting to attach are not clearly and distinctly named. We see this type of breach fairly regularly so we thought we’d highlight it in this post.

email, data, breach

Is your back-to-school photo privacy proof? Nicola Clark
3 February 2017 at 14:53

As tots, tweens and teens head back to school after what has been a ‘somewhat ok’ summer, the annual ‘first day at school’ pics are flooding Facebook feeds around New Zealand. As young kiwis, sporting school uniforms and new backpacks with iPads in hand head off to school, a sigh of relief can be heard around the country from relieved parents.

children

Traitors under our skin? Sebastian Morgan-Lynch 4 April 2017 at 09:44

Hager and Westpac - A bit more context, information and clarification Sam Grover 22 March 2017 at 09:50

Breach Case 2: Don't bite when a phisher calls Neil Sanson 20 March 2017 at 14:42

Me and AboutMe Nicole Walker 17 March 2017 at 11:05

Centrelink hits trouble with information matching Charles Mabbett 10 February 2017 at 10:30

Beware the phishers Charles Mabbett 9 February 2017 at 12:53

Breach Case 1: Name your documents clearly Neil Sanson 8 February 2017 at 14:01

Is your back-to-school photo privacy proof? Nicola Clark 3 February 2017 at 14:53

Traitors under our skin? Sebastian Morgan-Lynch
4 April 2017 at 09:44

Hager and Westpac - A bit more context, information and clarification Sam Grover
22 March 2017 at 09:50

Breach Case 2: Don't bite when a phisher calls Neil Sanson
20 March 2017 at 14:42

Me and AboutMe Nicole Walker
17 March 2017 at 11:05

Centrelink hits trouble with information matching Charles Mabbett
10 February 2017 at 10:30

Beware the phishers Charles Mabbett
9 February 2017 at 12:53

Breach Case 1: Name your documents clearly Neil Sanson
8 February 2017 at 14:01

Is your back-to-school photo privacy proof? Nicola Clark
3 February 2017 at 14:53