ForceNet Suffers a Breach

The Australian Department of Defence appears to be the latest victim of a data breach.

A communications platform called ForceNet used by military personnel and public servants from the Defence department. This platform is hit by a ransomware attack.

ForceNet bills itself as a Defence e-communications platform used to connect registered users within secure online communities. It facilitates auditable communication and information sharing, one to one and one to many, targeted communications and support in emergency situations and to specific persons.

It has been reported that Defence has been told no data of current or former personnel appears to have been compromised.

The details on the ransomware attack are scant, the Defence staff had received a message from the Defence secretary and Defence Chief that said the matter was being taken “very seriously”.

Four years ago, to the day, defence contractor and shipbuilder Austal said it had suffered a data breach, with the attacker attempting to extort the company. A year prior, In October 2017, it came to light that the theft of around 30GB of data from an unnamed Australian defence contractor had occurred.

This was published by ABC.