UAP confirms ransomware attack personal data and email correspondence exposed Cyber Daily
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ppExplore ppSECTIONSppMOREppClive Palmers United Australia Party has informed its members of a data breach but admits it is impracticable to notify individualspp
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ppShare this article onppA pair of Australian political parties associated with firebrand mining magnate Clive Palmer have confirmed they were the victims of a ransomware attack last monthppAccording to a data breach notice on the United Australia Party UAP website both it and Palmers Trumpet of Patriots party fell victim to a cyber attack on 23 JuneppOn 23 June 2025 we identified unauthorised access to our servers resulting in access to and the possible exfiltration of certain data records We were the subject of a ransomware cyber attack the breach notification saidppThe data records potentially include all emails to and from the political parties including their attachments and documents and records created and or held electronically by the political parties at any time in the pastppThe UAP however cannot confirm what data was compromisedppThe compromised data may include your personal information which you have provided to the political parties or which it has created the party saidppThis could include for example your email address phone number identity records banking records employment history documents including those provided subject to confidentiality arrangements and the likeppThe party said it cannot know comprehensively what data was impacted but that anyone involved with the party should assume that their data has been compromised Similarly the party has said it will not be contacting those involved in the data breachppWe do not keep a record of all individuals who were on the server the party saidppWe have determined it is impracticable to notify individualsppWhat the UAP has done is notify both the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the Australian Signals Directorate The party has also told its members and involved individuals to review your communications with us in order to identify what information could possibly have been compromisedppWe sincerely apologise for this incident and are taking steps to ensure it does not happen again the party saidppAt the time of writing no ransomware operator has claimed responsibility for the cyber attack Cyber Daily has reached out to the UAP and its parliamentary contact Senator Ralph Babet Senator Babet referred Cyber Daily to the party saying This is the Senate office and we are hard at work preparing for the opening of the 48th ParliamentThe party has yet to respond to Cyber Dailys questionsppOpinion Not good enoughppCyber Daily rarely editorialises around data breaches they can happen to anyone but the lack of care and poor response to this incident is remarkable Palmers parties have effectively put the onus of discovering what personal data has been compromised on their own party members and affiliates which could though this figure is disputed add up to as many as 80000 peopleppSimilarly simply sending a blanket email to parties who may be affected and then washing their hands of the matter claiming the impractical nature of putting in the work that the majority of data breach victims in Australia manage to achieve shows a breathtaking lack of careppWhile we must applaud the parties for coming forward there is simply no excuse for not managing and properly auditing data of this type in 2025 Its cyber security 101 and if the UAP and Trumpet of Patriots cant be trusted to adequately manage and secure the data of its members its certainly not fit to represent them in politicsppUPDATED 180725 to add Senator Babets commentaryppDavid Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security especially when it lets him talk about Legopp
ppBe the first to hear the latest developments in the cyber industryp
For breaking news and daily updates
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subscribe to our newsletter
ppExplore ppSECTIONSppMOREppClive Palmers United Australia Party has informed its members of a data breach but admits it is impracticable to notify individualspp
SHARE
ppShare this article onppA pair of Australian political parties associated with firebrand mining magnate Clive Palmer have confirmed they were the victims of a ransomware attack last monthppAccording to a data breach notice on the United Australia Party UAP website both it and Palmers Trumpet of Patriots party fell victim to a cyber attack on 23 JuneppOn 23 June 2025 we identified unauthorised access to our servers resulting in access to and the possible exfiltration of certain data records We were the subject of a ransomware cyber attack the breach notification saidppThe data records potentially include all emails to and from the political parties including their attachments and documents and records created and or held electronically by the political parties at any time in the pastppThe UAP however cannot confirm what data was compromisedppThe compromised data may include your personal information which you have provided to the political parties or which it has created the party saidppThis could include for example your email address phone number identity records banking records employment history documents including those provided subject to confidentiality arrangements and the likeppThe party said it cannot know comprehensively what data was impacted but that anyone involved with the party should assume that their data has been compromised Similarly the party has said it will not be contacting those involved in the data breachppWe do not keep a record of all individuals who were on the server the party saidppWe have determined it is impracticable to notify individualsppWhat the UAP has done is notify both the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the Australian Signals Directorate The party has also told its members and involved individuals to review your communications with us in order to identify what information could possibly have been compromisedppWe sincerely apologise for this incident and are taking steps to ensure it does not happen again the party saidppAt the time of writing no ransomware operator has claimed responsibility for the cyber attack Cyber Daily has reached out to the UAP and its parliamentary contact Senator Ralph Babet Senator Babet referred Cyber Daily to the party saying This is the Senate office and we are hard at work preparing for the opening of the 48th ParliamentThe party has yet to respond to Cyber Dailys questionsppOpinion Not good enoughppCyber Daily rarely editorialises around data breaches they can happen to anyone but the lack of care and poor response to this incident is remarkable Palmers parties have effectively put the onus of discovering what personal data has been compromised on their own party members and affiliates which could though this figure is disputed add up to as many as 80000 peopleppSimilarly simply sending a blanket email to parties who may be affected and then washing their hands of the matter claiming the impractical nature of putting in the work that the majority of data breach victims in Australia manage to achieve shows a breathtaking lack of careppWhile we must applaud the parties for coming forward there is simply no excuse for not managing and properly auditing data of this type in 2025 Its cyber security 101 and if the UAP and Trumpet of Patriots cant be trusted to adequately manage and secure the data of its members its certainly not fit to represent them in politicsppUPDATED 180725 to add Senator Babets commentaryppDavid Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security especially when it lets him talk about Legopp
ppBe the first to hear the latest developments in the cyber industryp
