Files with private information believed to be from the Immigration Department were found on a popular file-sharing programme yesterday, one month after the director's pledge to the personal data watchdog to protect privacy.
Eleven Word documents were discovered available to download on a file-sharing programme called Foxy.
The files included memos and minutes relating to cases involving immigration offences by an Iranian man and an Indonesian woman employed as a domestic helper.
Private information including their names and date of birth was included.
A spokesman said last night the Immigration Department was looking into the information. 'The department highlights the importance to protect personal data privacy. We have stepped up every possible measure to reduce the impact [of the leak],' he said. 'According to the information we have, there are no signs showing our computer system has been hacked.'
The the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data was not immediately available for comment. The latest leak is the department's second breach in three months. In May, 27 files, most marked 'confidential', were found through the Foxy programme.