First Nations health organisation investigates possible cyberattack

Apunipima Cape York Health Council (Apunipima), an Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation providing services to 11 remote communities in Far North Queensland, has started investigating whether personal information has been downloaded from its computer systems.

According to an ABC report, an unidentified third party claimed to be responsible for the suspected hacking in a post on the deep web and threatened to publish all data if a ransom is not paid next Tuesday. As a result, Apunipima sought the help of forensic IT experts to secure its systems and investigate the extent of the possible security breach.

“Should the forensic investigation confirm that anyone’s personal information may have been affected, we will carefully analyse the potentially affected information for the purpose of notifying individuals in a clear and precise manner, including advising them of any steps they need to take,” the organisation said in a statement, as reported by ABC.

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The Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, a Queensland health department division, said it had “severed all electronic links with Apunipima” as a precaution.

“All staff have been advised to beware of any phishing attempts,” said Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service chief executive Beverley Hamerton, as reported by ABC.

The possible cyberattack follows Australian telecom Optus’s massive cyber breach that compromised its nine million customers’ information. These incidents align with the global cybersecurity company Trend Micro Incorporated’s (Trend Micro) Cyber Risk Index (CRI) released early this year, which showed that global organisations expect to face successful cyberattacks in 2022.