Government Department susceptible to human error.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has Tweeted out an apology for revealing the email addresses of stranded Australians the Department is trying to help get home.
According to DFAT “no other personal information was disclosed,” DFAT stated. “We want to get you home and are working as hard as we can to do so.”
According to media reports, DFAT shared at least 1,000 email addresses of Australians stranded overseas.
The department attempted to fix the error by “recalling the original email that included the addresses and admitting the fault. It also asked the recipients to delete it”.
“We request your assistance in immediately deleting that email from your IT system and refraining from any further forwarding of the email, to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned,” DFAT wrote.
Nick Lennon, country manager for Mimecast A/NZ said with Cybersecurity Awareness Month kicking off today, this is a timely reminder that more than 90 per cent of breaches are the result of human error.
“In most cases, when an organisation’s employees are part of a security incident or breach it is because they have been compromised by a malicious outsider without their knowledge or they have made an honest mistake and leaked sensitive information accidently,” he stated. Technology as one layer of defence is great, but it’s only one coat of paint.
Organisations need to increasingly adopt a left hand, right hand approach. Technology in one hand, regular awareness training in the other, Cannon notes.
People will always make mistakes, but a couple of steps can help minimise these mistakes, damage to organisations and stress on the individual,” he said.
