Home / Technology / Hacker Gains Australian Visa by Breaching Government Systems
Hacker Gains Australian Visa by Breaching Government Systems
1 Jan
Summary
- Expert hacked government systems during his visa application process.
- He identified a critical vulnerability in under two hours.
- The visa he obtained has an approval rate of less than one percent.
A British cybersecurity expert, Jacob Riggs, has successfully obtained Australian permanent residency after demonstrating his skills by breaching government systems during his visa application. The incident occurred in July of last year, with Riggs identifying a critical vulnerability in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's networks in under two hours while working from his London home.
Riggs was awarded the 858 National Innovation visa in December, concluding a seven-month application period. This visa category is exceptionally competitive, with an approval rate reportedly below one percent. Since its inception, over 9000 expressions of interest have been submitted, yet only about 85 applicants have been granted residency.
Riggs, who holds the position of global director of information security for a major software provider, leveraged his expertise to impress immigration officials. His real-time demonstration of identifying a significant security flaw proved instrumental in his successful application for permanent residency in Australia.
