A Department of the Interior (DHA) contractor suspected of illegally sending classified documents to an unsecured location could continue to work in the public service.
Key points:
- A former colleague said the man’s permission had allowed him to see secret documents
- He is said to have sent classified documents to his personal email address
- A source said the man first removed the rating ratings so that his actions would not trigger an alert.
The man was allegedly removed from the “classified” status of files relating to 500 departmental projects, before forwarding them to his personal e-mail address to access them at home.
A figure familiar with the “serious” breach of security protocols told the CBA that the contractor had removed the classification qualifications from the documents so that his actions would not trigger an internal departmental alert system.
One of the man’s former colleagues says he had an NV1 security clearance (negative verification level 1), which allowed him continuous access to view secret documents, as well as temporary, supervised access to top secret information.
His unauthorized activity is believed to have taken place from 2020 until the man’s contract ended in June 2021 and involved projects from the entire Home Affairs portfolio, including data from the Border Force. ‘Australia.
It is understood that senior DHA officials became aware of the breach in September last year when the organization’s cybersecurity unit detected that the documents had been sent externally.
The contractor was able to work in another federal government department after breaching cybersecurity. (ABC News: Nic MacBean)
The contractor was then taken back to a meeting with the head of the department’s intelligence branch, who asked him about non-compliance with security protocols, which led him to agree not to take any more action. projects with the department.
He was later hired to work with another major federal government department on project management, although several former colleagues in the DHA intelligence branch declined to provide personal references.
“Existing Solid Integrity Framework”
A Home Affairs spokesman told the ABC that he did not comment on individual issues, but added that the department had “a solid integrity framework for detecting, deterring and altering such behavior.”
“When misconduct occurs, including acting outside the proceedings, the Department takes close action with partner agencies such as the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Law Enforcement Integrity Commission. (ACLEI).
Last year, there were no formal intelligence violations within Home Affairs. However, the CBA has not been able to verify whether any departmental investigation has determined whether the classified information was passed on to third parties.
ACLEI says it received 32 referrals from the Home Affairs portfolio for possible corruption between July 1 and December 22 last year.
Six of these incidents were investigated by the integrity body, and one was sent back to the department for further investigation.
Altering the Commonwealth records without approval is a breach of the Commonwealth Crime Act and a breach of the Department of Home Affairs’ internal security instructions.