Immigration Department data lapse reveals asylum seekers' personal details

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/19/asylum-seekers-identities-revealed-in-immigration-department-data-lapse

By Oliver Laughland, Paul Farrell and Asher Wolf
theguardian.com
18 February 2014

The personal details of a third of all asylum seekers held in Australia – 
almost 10,000 adults and children – have been inadvertently released by 
the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in one of the most 
serious privacy breaches in Australia’s history.

A vast database containing the full names, nationalities, location, 
arrival date and boat arrival information was revealed on the department’s 
website, raising serious concerns that thousands of asylum seekers have 
had confidential details made public.

Every single person held in a mainland detention facility and on Christmas 
Island has been identified in the database, as well as several thousand 
who are living in the community under the community detention program. A 
large number of children have been identified in the release, which also 
lists whether asylum seekers are part of family groups.

The breach raises serious questions about whether those identified could 
be placed at risk of retribution if they are returned to their countries 
of origin.

[...]

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