| White House investigates reported G20 Barack Obama passport leak, flags 'follow-up action' on security |
The White House has confirmed it is looking into reports president Barack Obama's passport details were leaked by an Australian official during last year's G20 Summit, saying it will "take all appropriate steps" to prevent further breaches.
Personal details of several world leaders were accidentally shared by the Australian Immigration Department before the Brisbane summit.
White House press secretary Eric Schultz said the reports were being investigated.
"I have seen those reports. I can't confirm that at this time," he told reporters on Air Force One.
"I can tell you that we're looking into them and we'll take all appropriate steps necessary to ensure the privacy and security of the president's personal information."
Passport numbers, dates of birth and visa details of leaders attending the Brisbane summit were mistakenly emailed by an Immigration Department official to a member of the Asian Cup Local Organising Committee.
Mr Obama, Russian president Vladimir Putin and German chancellor Angela Merkel were among the world leaders at the G20 summit.
An email from the Immigration Department to the privacy commissioner, obtained under Freedom of Information by The Guardian Australia, revealed the breach was reported less than 10 minutes after the email was sent.
The department described it as an "isolated example of human error" and it considered the risks of the breach to be "very low", given personal data such as address or other contact details were not included.
The email to the privacy commissioner said then-immigration minister Scott Morrison was notified but the department did not consider it necessary to notify the leaders involved.
A department spokesman released a statement saying the "data was immediately deleted by the recipient and was not distributed further".
The spokesman said the breach was referred to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
"The department has reviewed and strengthened its email protocols to limit and contain future breaches," the statement said.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's office has been approached for comment.
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