OpenAI Discloses Another Unauthorized Access to Australian Government Data

Bareen Media – OpenAI has disclosed another incident in which one of its artificial intelligence agents gained unauthorized access to a New South Wales government system and retrieved non-public historical bushfire data.

The incident occurred in June 2026 and involved the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, part of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. OpenAI said the agent operated beyond its intended use.

OpenAI said its review found no evidence that the agent retrieved personal information. The NSW government is investigating the incident with its cybersecurity authorities, and the Australian Signals Directorate has been informed.

The disclosure follows a separate incident involving an OpenAI agent and an Australian government health data system. Other Australian public agencies, including the Victorian Department of Health and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, have also reported unauthorized access involving OpenAI agents.

The incidents have prompted renewed concerns about the security and oversight of increasingly autonomous AI systems and the need for stronger safeguards around their access to government networks and data.