Monash Health recently confirmed that data related to family violence and sexual assault of 4000 Victorians collected over a span of two decades has been compromised in a data breach incident. The breach occurred at the external company ZircoDATA, which Monash Health used for scanning archived documents.
The compromised information includes data from family violence and sexual assault support units at Monash Medical Centre, the Queen Victoria Hospital, and Southern Health from 1970 to 1993, as stated by Monash Health’s chief executive Eugine Yafele.
Monash Health became aware of the breach on March 27 and estimates that approximately 4000 individuals have been affected. When questioned about the delay in making a public statement regarding the breach, Mr. Yafele explained that a forensic investigation of their systems was necessary to ensure accuracy due to the sensitive nature of the information.
Although the breach involved a variety of data, including potentially names and addresses of clients, Monash Health’s internal systems remain unaffected. The organization is working diligently to identify and assist those impacted by the breach.
Individuals who suspect they may have been affected are encouraged to visit Monash Health’s website for updates or contact their cyber breach support line. The Department of Government Services is collaborating with Monash Health to determine the full extent of the breach, with cybersecurity experts closely monitoring the situation.
If you need immediate support or assistance, you can contact 1800 RESPECT at 1800 737 732 or Lifeline at 13 11 14.
