Medibank's mistake is a privacy lesson for all businesses

Anyone impacted by the cyber attack on Medibank Private Limited between August and October 2022 will be familiar with the importance of privacy laws in Australia.

And for businesses, both small and large, it's a good lesson in the importance of keeping your privacy and cyber security compliance standards high.

The Australian Information Commissioner has recently filed an application in the Federal Court against Medibank in relation to the October 2022 data breach, following an investigation by the Commissioner, after the personal and sensitive information of 9.7 million Australians was stolen and released on the dark web.

The Commissioner alleges that Medibank seriously interfered with the privacy of 9.7 million Australians, exposing them to the likelihood of serious harm, including potential emotional distress, and risk of identity theft, extortion and financial crime.