A hacker behind a string of cyber attacks targeting Australian organisations in the public and private sectors is claiming to have gained access to the personal data of thousands of international students.
Known as 2019 on a popular underground cybercrime forum, the hacker is claiming to have breached the Top Education Group, an Australian education provider that trades as the Australian National Institute of Management and Commerce.
2019 boasted of the breach in a July 3 forum post, where they claimed to have compromised more than 187,600 lines of student information in two datasets.
The first set of records includes student names, personal & campus emails, dates of birth, phone numbers, gender, citizenship details, disability information, and migration agent details.
The second dataset features similar fields, in addition to course details, qualifications, student fees, and exam data.
While the hacker often gives away stolen data for free, in this case the data is being offered as a one-time sale, purchasable via cryptocurrency.
Cyber Daily has reached out to the Top Education Group for comment, but has yet to receive a response.
Who is 2019?
According to their forum profile, 2019 became active in January 2026 and has made a total of 38 posts, most of which refer to data breaches and other leaks.
Very little else is known about the hacker. They are, however, considered a trusted source of data on the forum in question.
2019’s recent victims include Court Services Victoria, Lifeline Australia, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Who is the Top Education Group?
The Top Education Group has been trading as the Australian National Institute of Management and Commerce since 2019, and describes itself as “one of Australia’s leading private tertiary education providers”.
The group has campuses in Sydney, Perth and Hobart, and offers courses in three areas: business, law, and IT.
More than 10,000 students from more than 40 countries have studied with the Top Education Group.
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