Personal information, including driver's licence details, of more than 40 customers was accessed in a 2018 Transport Agency data breach by a then-employee at the agency, it has been revealed.
In October 2018, a Waka Kotahi employee unlawfully accessed personal information of 44 people.
A Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency spokesperson today told 1 NEWS that the agency has contacted those affected in the breach.
"The individual improperly accessed personal information from the driver licence register and from the motor vehicle register, including customers’ names, addresses, dates of birth and driver licence details," the spokesperson said.
"The person involved was immediately dismissed from working at Waka Kotahi [in November 2018].
"We immediately initiated an investigation which is now completed and in the process of court action."
The spokesperson also said the agency had been assisting police with an ongoing investigation concerning the same former employee.
"We cooperated with and have taken advice from police throughout the investigation to ensure our actions did not impede their investigation," they said.
Because of the ongoing investigation, the spokesperson said it was why the Transport Agency was unable to contact its affected customers until January.
But the Office of the Privacy Commissioner was notified when the incident occurred, they said.
"Affected customers have been contacted, informed of the privacy breach and given the option of being issued with a replacement driver licence, should they not have already replaced their driver licence since the incident."
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