After a hack on an external supplier, a data set from communications platform ForceNet with up to 40,000 records may be compromised.

Up to 40,000 records pertaining to private contacts between members of the present and former Australian defence forces may have been exposed as a result of a ransomware assault.

Defense acknowledged on Monday that a communications network called ForceNet may have had a dataset compromised as a result of an attack on an outside ICT service provider.

According to Matt Keogh, the minister for veterans' affairs and defence personnel, the dataset was from 2018, and it contained 30,000 to 40,000 records. Defense, according to Keogh, is still satisfied that no personal information was obtained, but they are still trying to determine which current and past employees, including the department's public servants, may have been impacted. He compared ForceNet to a corporate social networking site.

In order to ensure that we get a complete view of the kind of data that were there and available, Keogh stated, 'We're working with that external provider.' 'We understand that they may have retained between 30 and 40,000 records; however, we are not claiming that this is the total number of documents maintained by the external supplier.

But for now, we're trying to piece together who those people might have been. On its website, ForceNet states that it 'enables auditable one-to-one and one-to-many information sharing, including targeted messaging and support in emergency circumstances and to specific personnel.' It was created for the military and approved by the chief information officer group for the military, and it can be used by service personnel, sponsored family members, and other authorised users.

According to the FAQ section of ForceNet, 'this means ForceNet users may be confident their information and content will be seen only by other authorised users.' A spokesman for the defence said that they had recently learned of the attack, but she would not say when it happened or how soon after they learned about it. The identity of the external provider that was attacked has remained a secret.

The data of current and former [Australian Public Service] employees and [Australian Defense Force] members has not been compromised, according to initial discussions with the service provider.