Financial data stored in education department possibly accessed

"The latest investigations indicate a risk that financial data from the Department for Education, Children and Young People may have been accessed in the global incident," she said.

"This may include names, addresses, invoices and bank account numbers.

"I stress there is no confirmation such information has been stolen, and reiterate that no Tasmanian Government IT systems have been hacked."

Ms Ogilvie added that "forensic" investigations by the government's cybersecurity team would continue.

"I understand reports such as this may cause concern in the community [and] that's why we will continue to keep the Tasmanian community updated and advise where support can be accessed," she said.

The update followed news that data from as many as 130 governments and companies around the world have been accessed by Russian hacking gang, CL0P, via a breach in a third-party cloud computing service, GoAnywhere MFT.

The company promotes the service as a secure way to transfer data between servers over the internet.

The Australian companies that have confirmed data breaches in the attack so far include Rio Tinto and Crown Casinos.

The state government has already confirmed that it is a user of the GoAnywhere service.

"The government will continue to closely monitor and investigate the situation and we will act immediately if there are any updates," Ms Ogilvie said.

Federal investigators are also involved, including the Australian Federal Police and the Australian CyberSecurity Centre, she said.

"This is a real issue, these are sophisticated, malevolent actors out there, and we will do all we can as a robust government," Ms Ogilvie said.

The state government has spent $4.9 million over four years improving its cybersecurity and was one of the jurisdictions that showed the most improvement in recent years in terms of cyber defence, she said.

It was important that Tasmanians be made aware of the possible theft, so that they can stay alert for any suspicious financial activity or attempted scams, Ms Ogilvie said.

Opposition Science and Technology spokesperson Jen Butler called for Ms Ogilvie's resignation following Wednesday's update to the hacking situation.

"Minister Ogilvie spent the first week of this incredibly serious breach of the government's cyber security covering it up, leaving Tasmanians completely unaware that their personal information may be at risk," she said.

"Now the Minister has admitted that financial data from the Department for Education Children and Young People may have been accessed, including names, addresses, invoices and bank account numbers."

"If the Premier Jeremy Rockliff has any respect for the Tasmanians he is supposed to represent he will insist that Madeleine Ogilvie resigns - and if she won't he should sack her."

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