Minister in firing line
BILL Shorten has urged the Government to investigate the apparent hacking of Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne’s social media account.
Mr Pyne’s Twitter account liked an explicit gay pornographic video in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The senior minister was quick to defend himself, saying he had been hacked while he was sleeping at 2am after celebrating the results of the same- sex marriage survey.
He posted on Twitter: “Someone tried to hack my social media yesterday. Maybe they are making mischief over the plebiscite?”
Mr Pyne’s office later said an attempt was also made to hack his Facebook, but that there were “no defence or security implications” and that “all appropriate action had been taken”.
The Opposition Leader said he felt for Mr Pyne over the “unpleasant experience” but it was a serious matter which should be investigated.
“It is most serious when any minister, especially a Defence Minister, is a victim of a hacking,” Mr Shorten said.
“Defence, our national secrets, we need to make sure they have top protection. I think a lot of people are more than just a little bit concerned if our government information doesn’t have adequate protection.”
Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi, a vocal critic of Mr Pyne, tried to move a motion in parliament to force the Government to investigate how the hack occurred.
“Deeply concerned about national security implications of hacking of Pyne’s social media account. Need full investigation and report in case is foreign agent trying to influence elections,” Senator Bernardi tweeted.
“We need to get to the bottom of this.”
Craig Searle, cofounder of cyber security firm Hivint, said people who did not follow “good password practices” were much more vulnerable to their social media accounts being breached.
He said people should use “pass- phrases” rather than passwords, because they were easier to remember and harder to hack.
He also encouraged the use of password managers to store different passwords needed for work and personal reasons and to turn on multi- factor f authentication where available.
Federal MPs have received several high- level briefings about cyber security in recent months after the “WannaCry” ransomware attack.
Facebook also ran work- Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne’s Twitter account was hacked. shops s for politicians in Canberra to help assist with their social media security earlier this year.
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After three months in intensive care at Melbourne’s The Alfred Hospital, Cobram mum Sarah Hawthorn has woken and continues to improve.
“It has been a big journey for our family and at this stage, while Sarah is in recovery, we won’t be making any further comment,” Ms Hawthorn’s family said.
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The mother of a boy, 8, stuck in the family car in sweltering heat, was only notified her son was absent from school after teachers quizzed his brother.
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His alleged rampage happened at a Sydney McDonald’s drive- through, where he ordered hash browns worth $ 230 on Saturday at 4.50am.
Police allege the 30- year- old man became angry when he was told nuggets were not on the breakfast menu. He failed a breath test, recording a reading of 0.175.