ARTICLE · 01 SEPTEMBER 2023

Why hackers profit from non-profits

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Charities and organisations alike need to ask potential suppliers about their cybersecurity risk management plans.

AustraliaTechnology

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It's a low blow when people who give to charity find their act of generosity causes their personal details to end up on the dark web.

It's frightening for the donors, but also for the charities who face potential legal action, regulatory scrutiny, and reputational damage that's not going to help them get more donations.

Charities have long been a soft target for cyber criminals. They frequently lack the funds to invest in high level cybersecurity and their data is rich with the personal and financial details of wealthy individuals. The latest case to grab the headlines concerns a Brisbane-based telemarketing company that suffered a cyber breach in April 2023. Now the personal details of thousands of donors to well-known charities have been published to the dark web.¹

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