NSW cybercrime detectives are investigating after the leaking of court documents including apprehended violence orders.
NSW cybercrime detectives are investigating after the leaking of court documents including apprehended violence orders.
By Jessica McSweeney
Updated March 26, 2025 — 8.03pmfirst published at 6.52pm
Cybercrime detectives are investigating a “major data breach” of the NSW court’s website involving the leaking of 9000 sensitive court documents, including apprehended violence orders.
The breach, which was discovered on Tuesday and referred to the State Crime Command’s Cybercrime Squad, impacted the NSW Online Registry Website, an online platform which provides access to information from both civil and criminal cases in the NSW court system.
A NSW Police spokesperson said the breach was being investigated by detectives under Strike Force Pardey.
“Cybercrime detectives commenced an investigation under Strike Force Pardey and are working closely with the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) in order to contain the breach after approximately 9000 sensitive court files, including apprehended violence orders (AVOs) and affidavits, were downloaded,” the spokesperson said.
“Investigations remain ongoing to establish the full extent of the breach.”
NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley said he was aware of the “significant” breach.
“The NSW government is taking this incident seriously. I am assured that DCJ is working with Cyber Security NSW and the NSW Police to ensure the ongoing integrity of the system,” he said.
“They are also working to urgently identify and contact affected users and the public will be kept updated as more information becomes available.”
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A spokesperson for DCJ said none of the compromised data had been shared publicly as a result of the breach.
“DCJ is working to urgently identify and contact affected users and will provide updates as more information becomes available,” they said.
The leak of documents relating to AVO applications could compromise the safety of the protected person, supervising solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre Samantha Lee said.
“There’s a drastic concern around the safety of the protected person. People certainly are apprehensive to give statements in terms of AVO proceedings and would be absolutely distraught to find out that information may have become public,” she said.
Information that could be included in such documents include the names and addresses of victims and offenders, as well as potentially detailed accounts of alleged offending, Lee said.
“There’s so much private personal safety information put onto the court registry. There needs to be absolute certainty to guarantee privacy … otherwise the trust in that system will quickly erode.”
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Jessica McSweeney is a breaking news reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
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