Australia reports a massive 50% drop in health record data breaches following the widespread adoption of passkeys

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has released a promising new report indicating a 50% decline in data breaches affecting the country's national "My Health Record" system over the past year. This significant reduction is largely attributed to the integration of biometric passkey security within the myGov public services app, which has effectively curbed widespread identity scams and unauthorized access. During the 2024-2025 reporting period, the OAIC received only 18 breach notifications related to the system, down from 39 the previous year. Additionally, privacy complaints regarding the system plummeted, with only three filed compared to 15 previously. The report underscores the effectiveness of modern authentication methods in protecting sensitive patient data, such as prescriptions and hospital summaries, against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. While the OAIC praised these security advancements, it also recommended greater transparency regarding overseas data disclosure for related mobile apps. This success story offers a compelling case study for other nations looking to fortify their digital health infrastructure against identity theft.

Read the original article at: https://www.biometricupdate.com/202510/data-breaches-of-australias-health-records-drop-50-after-passkey-adoption-oaic

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