A foreign state actor hacked the WhatsApp account of an Australian parliamentarian and three staff members, according to a Department of Parliamentary Services official who testified at a Senate hearing on May 25, 2026. The official described the incident as a 'targeted phishing attack' that compromised the accounts.
As a result, the Department of Parliamentary Services temporarily blocked WhatsApp on parliamentary devices to prevent further breaches. The official stated that the attack was sophisticated and linked to a foreign state actor, though the specific country was not named.
The Australian Federal Police and the Australian Signals Directorate are investigating the incident. The parliamentarian and staff members have been advised to secure their accounts, and no sensitive data has been confirmed as stolen.
