Internal Emails Reveal ATO and ASIC Feared Data Sent Offshore by VIQ Solutions in 2025

Internal emails released under Freedom of Information laws reveal that the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Tax Office (ATO) investigated a potential data breach involving transcription service provider VIQ Solutions in 2025. According to the documents, the concerns arose roughly one year before public reports emerged regarding family court and Federal Court data being sent offshore.

Timeline of the 2025 Investigation

• March 2025: The alarm was raised after VIQ Solutions sent an email to the ATO containing a hyperlink to a transcript available for download from a site in the United Kingdom.
• Internal Warning: An ATO assistant director stated that the incident indicated customer data was potentially being shared or accessed outside Australia, prompting the ATO and ASIC to advise staff to halt using VIQ services temporarily.
• May 2025: Following a report provided by VIQ, ASIC determined the incident was a "near miss" and concluded that its own data had not been compromised, though emails showed no independent investigation was conducted into other using agencies.

Regulatory Actions and Responses

Under government rules, sensitive data from courts and federal agencies is prohibited from being stored or processed offshore due to national security and hacking risks. Freedom of Information documents indicate that ASIC did not alert other government agencies about the potential offshoring concerns, instead leaving the responsibility to VIQ.

At least 13 government agencies reportedly utilized VIQ Solutions before ASIC removed the company as an approved supplier from AusTender in March 2026. Following subsequent public disclosures regarding court data, VIQ Solutions entered voluntary administration and ceased operations, with administrators from McGrath Nicol noting that the data breach adversely affected the company's tender opportunities and suggesting directors may have breached duties by not acting with sufficient care and diligence.

Shadow Attorney General Senator Michaelia Cash has called for a coordinated investigation across all government agencies. Both the ATO and ASIC stated they took appropriate actions through panel managers and reporting channels, while official investigations into related court data breaches remain ongoing.