Cybercrime Squad detectives have charged a woman for a series of alleged cyber hacks on Western Sydney University.
Since 2021, Western Sydney University experienced a series of cyber hacks involving unauthorised access, data exfiltration, system compromise and misuse of university infrastructure – including threatening the sale of student information on the dark web.
It is estimated that hundreds of university staff and students were affected by these incidents.
The matter was referred to State Crime Command’s Cybercrime Squad who established Strike Force Docker to investigate.
Strike force detectives, working closely with Western Sydney University, the AFP Joint Policing Cyber Coordination Centre, JCP3 and cyber security experts, identified the alleged hacker was a former student of the university.
Following extensive inquiries into the former student, about 8.20am yesterday (Wednesday, June 25), strike force detectives – with assistance from Northwest Metropolitan Region Operational Support Group – executed a search warrant in Kingswood.
During the search, police located computer equipment and mobile devices.
A 27-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and taken to St Marys Police Station, where she was charged with 20 offences including:
- 10 counts of access/modify restricted data held in computer,
- Four counts of unauthorised modification of data with intent to cause impairment,
- Two counts of unauthorised function with intent serious offence (penalty
- Possess data with intent to commit computer offence,
- Dishonestly obtain property by deception,
- Dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception,
- Attempt to dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception, and
- Demand with menaces intend obtain gain/cause loss.
The woman was refused bail to appear in Penrith Local Court today.
Police will allege in court that the woman initially exploited the Western Sydney University systems to secure unauthorised discounted parking on campus.
As the offending escalated, the woman is alleged to have altered her academic results and eventually threatened to sell confidential student data on the dark web.
Investigations under Strike Force Docker continue.
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.