A significant data breach affecting over 100,000 New Zealanders has prompted Health Minister Simeon Brown to initiate a review by the Ministry of Health. The breach involves the patient information of users on the platform ManageMyHealth, which is currently seeking a court injunction in the High Court at Wellington to prevent the public release of stolen data.
Hackers have threatened to disclose 400,000 documents unless a ransom is paid by Tuesday. Brown emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that data holders must ensure the protection of sensitive information, which he described as among the most personal. He also highlighted that the responsibility for notifying affected individuals lies with ManageMyHealth.
While acknowledging the government's support for ManageMyHealth in managing the breach, Brown called for improved standards in data protection and expressed concern over the trust in digital health tools. He mentioned that lessons must be learned from this incident and assured that the review's findings will lead to further announcements.