What is a data breach?

A data breach is when your information or your clients' information is accessed without your authorisation, by accident or disclosed to someone else.

A data breach can be eligible and non-eligible. Eligible data breaches must be reported.

An eligible data breach is when this criteria is met:

1. The personal information has been accessed without your authority or has been disclosed without their permission.

2. This information could cause serious harm (see Consequences of a Data Breach)

3. You are unable to rectify the situation to prevent the possibility of serious harm from occurring.

This is a concern because it has the potential to cause significant harm to the individual.

If you have had a data breach, here is how you notify the OAIC.

The OAIC has more details on a data breach and the Privacy Act.

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