Privacy Watchdog to Investigate HWL Ebsworth Over Security and Notifications
Australia's privacy watchdog is investigating law firm HWL Ebsworth for potentially violating the Privacy Act during a cybersecurity incident that resulted in the loss of 1.1TB of data, including sensitive health records of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) will assess the firm's data protection measures and breach notification processes, with the possibility of imposing civil penalties or compensation orders. The breach affected data from 65 government agencies and private firms, raising significant concerns about data handling practices within the legal industry. Jeremy Nadel reports on this critical development as stakeholders await the investigation's outcomes.