Thousands of myGov accounts are hacked every month!

Thousands of myGov accounts are hacked every month.

Monthly, thousands of myGov accounts face suspension, leading to a staggering $3.1 billion loss in Australia due to cyber threats. Minister Shorten highlighted that over 4,500 new myGov scams emerged in 2023, tricking people into giving away their login details through fraudulent websites and deceptive tactics like ‘scams-in-a-box’.

These ‘scam-in-a-box’ toolkits empower cyber threat actors to conduct phishing attacks on important Australian platforms such as the Tax Office, Medicare, and Centrelink, creating fake websites and swiftly evading detection. The issue is exacerbated by the prevalence of reused passwords among Australians, making it easier for hackers to access multiple accounts.

Minister Shorten emphasised the government’s commitment to combatting these challenges, aiming to fortify online security and introduce a digital ID system. This initiative comes as a response to increased cyber threats following a significant data breach. Additionally, a proposed national digital identity scheme would enforce ID storage for businesses and implement new rules for reporting data breaches, initially overseen by regulatory bodies like the ACCC and the Australian Information Commissioner.