MSD Systems Compromised

Amanda Murtagh made this Official Information request to Ministry of Social Development

Response to this request is long overdue. By law Ministry of Social Development should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.

From: Amanda Murtagh

Dear Ministry of Social Development,

This OIA is referenced to my last OIA dated August 10 2021, successfully answered by MSD 7th September 2021, where MSD confirmed its payment processes.

As this OIA relates to MSD payment processes being inconsistent with the OIA response, this is a matter of public interest. In line with this, I have redacted personal information in the attachments. Please email me if you require un-redacted versions.

A request was made on the 25th May 2021 for financial assistance (“debt”). The debt for the client was created on the 25th May 2021. Repayment of this debt by the client commenced 1st June 2021, however the debt was paid directly to the supplier on the 15th June 2021.

Please see attachments for verification of dates and payment times:

Attachment 1 17 June 2021 Dates included.
Attachment 2 10t July 2021, 9.53am dates not showing
Attachment 3 10th July 2021, 9.59am dates reinstated
Attachment 4 Confirmation of Spark Payment 15 June 2021.

Please answer the following questions:

1. Why was payment made in store at Spark instead of in the usual way?

2. Why were repayments commenced prior to payment of the debt?

3. Why were dates changed three times on MyMSD debt page?

4. Who compromised the process in an attempt to have the phone service disconnected that the payment related to?

5. What internal investigations are currently underway regarding this?

6. Was MSD hacked (and therefore also Spark hacked for the payment because the payment was paid via eftpos) or was there corruption within MSD?

7. If MSD was hacked, has this been reported to the GCSB?

Yours faithfully,

Amanda Murtagh

Link to this

Amanda Murtagh left an annotation ()

My apologies. Please contact me for the attachments as they cannot be uploaded here.

Link to this

From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development

Tēnā koe Amanda Murtagh,

 

Thank you for your email received 7 September 2021, under the Official
Information Act 1982. Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate
officials at National Office to respond. 

 

The Ministry is focussing its resources on supporting New Zealanders
through COVID-19 by administering welfare support during this
unprecedented time.  Resources within our business units, where
information for OIA requests is drawn from, is limited or unavailable. 
Staff have been redeployed to assist the frontline with the processing of
welfare payments. As such, there may be a delay in you receiving a
response from the Ministry.

 

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. 

 

Ngā manaakitanga,

 

Official and Parliamentary Information Team | Ministerial and Executive
Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to help themselves to be safe, strong and
independent
Ko ta mātou he whakamana tangata kia tū haumaru, kia tū kaha, kia tū
motuhake

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Amanda Murtagh <[1][FYI request #16659 email]>

Sent: Tuesday, 7 September 2021 4:14 PM

To: OIA_Requests (MSD) <[2][MSD request email]>

Subject: Official Information request - MSD Systems Compromised

 

Dear Ministry of Social Development,

 

This OIA is referenced to my last OIA dated August 10 2021, successfully
answered by MSD 7th September 2021, where MSD confirmed its payment
processes.

 

As this OIA relates to MSD payment processes being inconsistent with the
OIA response, this is a matter of public interest.  In line with this, I
have redacted personal information in the attachments.  Please email me if
you require un-redacted versions.

 

A request was made on the 25th May 2021 for financial assistance
(“debt”).  The debt for the client was created on the 25th May 2021. 
Repayment of this debt by the client commenced 1st June 2021, however the
debt was paid directly to the supplier on the 15th June 2021.

 

Please see attachments for verification of dates and payment times:

 

Attachment 1   17 June 2021 Dates included. 

Attachment 2   10t July 2021, 9.53am dates not showing

Attachment 3   10th July 2021, 9.59am dates reinstated

Attachment 4   Confirmation of Spark Payment 15 June 2021.

 

Please answer the following questions:

 

1.         Why was payment made in store at Spark instead of in the usual
way?

 

2.         Why were repayments commenced prior to payment of the debt?

 

3.         Why were dates changed three times on MyMSD debt page?

 

4.         Who compromised the process in an attempt to have the phone
service disconnected that the payment related to?

 

5.         What internal investigations are currently underway regarding
this?

 

6.         Was MSD hacked (and therefore also Spark hacked for the payment
because the payment was paid via eftpos) or was there corruption within
MSD?

 

7.         If MSD was hacked, has this been reported to the GCSB?

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Amanda Murtagh

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FYI request #16659 email]
2. mailto:[MSD request email]

hide quoted sections

Link to this

From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development

Dear Amanda Murtagh,

 

Thank you for your request dated 7 September 2021.

 

Unfortunately the attachments you mentioned in your below email have not
been attached. Are you able to please try and send the four attachments
through again?

 

Yours sincerely

 

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Amanda Murtagh <[1][FOI #16659 email]>

Sent: Tuesday, 7 September 2021 4:14 PM

To: OIA_Requests (MSD) <[2][MSD request email]>

Subject: Official Information request - MSD Systems Compromised

 

Dear Ministry of Social Development,

 

This OIA is referenced to my last OIA dated August 10 2021, successfully
answered by MSD 7th September 2021, where MSD confirmed its payment
processes.

 

As this OIA relates to MSD payment processes being inconsistent with the
OIA response, this is a matter of public interest.  In line with this, I
have redacted personal information in the attachments.  Please email me if
you require un-redacted versions.

 

A request was made on the 25th May 2021 for financial assistance
(“debt”).  The debt for the client was created on the 25th May 2021. 
Repayment of this debt by the client commenced 1st June 2021, however the
debt was paid directly to the supplier on the 15th June 2021.

 

Please see attachments for verification of dates and payment times:

 

Attachment 1   17 June 2021 Dates included. 

Attachment 2   10t July 2021, 9.53am dates not showing

Attachment 3   10th July 2021, 9.59am dates reinstated

Attachment 4   Confirmation of Spark Payment 15 June 2021.

 

Please answer the following questions:

 

1.         Why was payment made in store at Spark instead of in the usual
way?

 

2.         Why were repayments commenced prior to payment of the debt?

 

3.         Why were dates changed three times on MyMSD debt page?

 

4.         Who compromised the process in an attempt to have the phone
service disconnected that the payment related to?

 

5.         What internal investigations are currently underway regarding
this?

 

6.         Was MSD hacked (and therefore also Spark hacked for the payment
because the payment was paid via eftpos) or was there corruption within
MSD?

 

7.         If MSD was hacked, has this been reported to the GCSB?

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Amanda Murtagh

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[3][FOI #16659 email]

 

Is [4][MSD request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Ministry of Social Development? If so, please contact us using
this form:

[5]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[6]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #16659 email]
2. mailto:[MSD request email]
3. mailto:[FOI #16659 email]
4. mailto:[MSD request email]
5. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
6. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Link to this

From: Amanda Murtagh

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

Please see the drop box links below:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7wnv4il9kuma93...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqg8tgzh5kj6yv...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2g1tqfunefzc8...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvkanfk2uqi2ca...

Please copy and paste these links into your browser if you have issues with the links.

Yours sincerely,

Amanda Murtagh

Link to this

From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development

Dear Amanda Murtagh,

 

On 7 September 2021, you emailed the Ministry requesting, under the
Official Information Act 1982, the following information:

 1. Why was payment made in store at Spark instead of in the usual way?
 2. Why were repayments commenced prior to payment of the debt?
 3. Why were dates changed three times on MyMSD debt page?
 4. Who compromised the process in an attempt to have the phone service
disconnected that the payment related to?
 5. What internal investigations are currently underway regarding this?
 6. Was MSD hacked (and therefore also Spark hacked for the payment
because the payment was paid via eftpos) or was there corruption
within MSD?
 7. If MSD was hacked, has this been reported to the GCSB?

As your request is very specific, the Ministry is trying to identify the
most appropriate avenue for your request to be processed through. In order
to do this, the Ministry will need more information to answer your
questions.

If the request is in relation to you, or another client of the Ministry,
could you please send through the following information, via email to
[1][MSD request email], so the Ministry is able to investigate into
what has occurred:

o Name
o Date of birth
o Email

Ngā mihi nui

Michaela

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Amanda Murtagh <[2][FOI #16659 email]>

Sent: Monday, 27 September 2021 4:32 PM

To: OIA_Requests (MSD) <[3][MSD request email]>

Subject: RE: Official Information request - MSD Systems Compromised

 

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

 

Please see the drop box links below:

 

[4]https://www.dropbox.com/s/7wnv4il9kuma93...

 

[5]https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqg8tgzh5kj6yv...

 

[6]https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2g1tqfunefzc8...

 

[7]https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvkanfk2uqi2ca...

 

Please copy and paste these links into your browser if you have issues
with the links.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Amanda Murtagh

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Dear Amanda Murtagh,

 

 

 

Thank you for your request dated 7 September 2021.

 

 

 

Unfortunately the attachments you mentioned in your below email have not 
been attached. Are you able to please try and send the four attachments 
through again?

 

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive 
Services

 

Ministry of Social Development

 

 

 

Our Purpose:

We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.

Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[8][FOI #16659 email]

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[9]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[MSD request email]
2. mailto:[FOI #16659 email]
3. mailto:[MSD request email]
4. https://www.dropbox.com/s/7wnv4il9kuma93...
5. https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqg8tgzh5kj6yv...
6. https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2g1tqfunefzc8...
7. https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvkanfk2uqi2ca...
8. mailto:[FOI #16659 email]
9. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Link to this

From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development

Dear Amanda Murtagh,

 

On 7 September 2021, you emailed the Ministry requesting, under the
Official Information Act 1982, the following information:

 1. Why was payment made in store at Spark instead of in the usual way?
 2. Why were repayments commenced prior to payment of the debt?
 3. Why were dates changed three times on MyMSD debt page?
 4. Who compromised the process in an attempt to have the phone service
disconnected that the payment related to?
 5. What internal investigations are currently underway regarding this?
 6. Was MSD hacked (and therefore also Spark hacked for the payment
because the payment was paid via eftpos) or was there corruption
within MSD?
 7. If MSD was hacked, has this been reported to the GCSB?

 

This letter is to advise you that the Ministry has received your request,
however requires more time to respond to this request. In accordance with
section 15(1) and 15A of the Official Information Act, the Ministry’s
decision will be with you no later than 27 October 2021.

The reason for the extension is that consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request
cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.

As per the Ministry’s email to you on 4 October 20201, the Ministry will
need more information to answer your questions.

If the request is in relation to you, or another client of the Ministry,
could you please send through the following information, via email to
[1][MSD request email], so the Ministry is able to investigate into
what has occurred:

o Name
o Date of birth
o Email

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of
this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this
decision, please feel free to contact [3][MSD request email]

I will respond to you sooner if I am able to.

Ngā mihi nui

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.

 

 

 

From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Sent: Monday, 4 October 2021 2:33 PM
To: [FOI #16659 email]
Subject: FW: Official Information request - MSD Systems Compromised

 

Dear Amanda Murtagh,

 

On 7 September 2021, you emailed the Ministry requesting, under the
Official Information Act 1982, the following information:

 1. Why was payment made in store at Spark instead of in the usual way?
 2. Why were repayments commenced prior to payment of the debt?
 3. Why were dates changed three times on MyMSD debt page?
 4. Who compromised the process in an attempt to have the phone service
disconnected that the payment related to?
 5. What internal investigations are currently underway regarding this?
 6. Was MSD hacked (and therefore also Spark hacked for the payment
because the payment was paid via eftpos) or was there corruption
within MSD?
 7. If MSD was hacked, has this been reported to the GCSB?

As your request is very specific, the Ministry is trying to identify the
most appropriate avenue for your request to be processed through. In order
to do this, the Ministry will need more information to answer your
questions.

If the request is in relation to you, or another client of the Ministry,
could you please send through the following information, via email to
[4][MSD request email], so the Ministry is able to investigate into
what has occurred:

o Name
o Date of birth
o Email

Ngā mihi nui

Michaela

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Amanda Murtagh <[5][FOI #16659 email]>

Sent: Monday, 27 September 2021 4:32 PM

To: OIA_Requests (MSD) <[6][MSD request email]>

Subject: RE: Official Information request - MSD Systems Compromised

 

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

 

Please see the drop box links below:

 

[7]https://www.dropbox.com/s/7wnv4il9kuma93...

 

[8]https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqg8tgzh5kj6yv...

 

[9]https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2g1tqfunefzc8...

 

[10]https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvkanfk2uqi2ca...

 

Please copy and paste these links into your browser if you have issues
with the links.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Amanda Murtagh

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Dear Amanda Murtagh,

 

 

 

Thank you for your request dated 7 September 2021.

 

 

 

Unfortunately the attachments you mentioned in your below email have not 
been attached. Are you able to please try and send the four attachments 
through again?

 

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive 
Services

 

Ministry of Social Development

 

 

 

Our Purpose:

We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.

Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[11][FOI #16659 email]

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[12]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[MSD request email]
2. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
3. mailto:[MSD request email]
4. mailto:[MSD request email]
5. mailto:[FOI #16659 email]
6. mailto:[MSD request email]
7. https://www.dropbox.com/s/7wnv4il9kuma93...
8. https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqg8tgzh5kj6yv...
9. https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2g1tqfunefzc8...
10. https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvkanfk2uqi2ca...
11. mailto:[FOI #16659 email]
12. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Link to this

From: Amanda Murtagh

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

The purpose of this OIA is in Public Interest due to the anomalies in the transaction.

This is a public OIA and should be answered publicly.

Yours sincerely,

Amanda Murtagh

Link to this

Amanda Murtagh left an annotation ()

Copy of email received from MSD 8th October 2021.

Dear Amanda Murtagh,

On 7 September 2021, you emailed the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
1. Why was payment made in store at Spark instead of in the usual way?
2. Why were repayments commenced prior to payment of the debt?
3. Why were dates changed three times on MyMSD debt page?
4. Who compromised the process in an attempt to have the phone service disconnected that the payment related to?
5. What internal investigations are currently underway regarding this?
6. Was MSD hacked (and therefore also Spark hacked for the payment because the payment was paid via eftpos) or was there corruption within MSD?
7. If MSD was hacked, has this been reported to the GCSB?

On 5 October 2021, the Ministry emailed you of the need to extend the due date of your request, as more time was required for necessary consultations. The Ministry also requested you provide additional information to allow the Ministry to further investigate what has occurred.
Thank you for sending the requested information through on 8 October 2021.

Our team has assessed your request and due to the specific nature of your request, believe the most appropriate approach for your request is for someone within the Ministry to call you and discuss your concerns. Therefore, I have forwarded your request to the appropriate business units in the Ministry to get in touch with you. They will be in touch with you shortly.

As such, the Ministry will be closing your official information request. However, if you would like a formal correspondence letter in relation to the concerns you have raised, you may advise the caller and they will pass your request to the appropriate team in the Ministry.

If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact OIA_Requests@msd.govt.nz.
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Yours Sincerely

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive Services
Ministry of Social Development

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.

Link to this

From: Info (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development

Tēnā koe

 

These requests were for personal rather than official information, and
were treated as correspondence. A response has been sent directly to the
requestor on 19 November 2021.  

 

Nā mātou noa, nā

 

Ministerial and Executive Services

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

Link to this

From: Amanda Murtagh

Dear Info (MSD),

I refer to my 11th October message.

This is an OIA NOT a PIR.

Please respond to this as an OIA

Yours sincerely,

Amanda Murtagh

Link to this

Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Ministry of Social Development only: