A former Western Sydney University student, already facing serious cybercrime charges, has been hit with fresh allegations after police say she continued her hacking campaign while on bail.
Arrest and Escalating Allegations
Birdie Kingston, 27, was arrested again on Thursday at a home in North Kellyville. This latest arrest comes after NSW Police alleged she persisted in targeting the university's systems, despite being granted strict conditional bail in June over 20 initial cybercrime offences.
The former engineering student was first apprehended following claims she had exploited the university's networks since 2021, during her time as a student. Her alleged activities reportedly began with attempts to secure discounted campus parking before escalating to altering her academic grades.
From Data Theft to Ransom Demands
Authorities allege Kingston's actions grew increasingly severe. She is accused of accessing sensitive systems, downloading over 100GB of data, and threatening to sell confidential student information on the dark web.
In a major escalation last November, she allegedly demanded a cryptocurrency ransom worth approximately $40,000 from the university. The threat stated that stolen data would be sold on a darknet forum if the payment was not made. Police confirmed the institution did not pay, and there is no evidence the data was ultimately sold. Hundreds of staff and students are believed to have been affected by these breaches.
Bail Conditions Allegedly Breached
Following her June arrest, Kingston was granted bail under stringent conditions, which included:
- A ban on possessing any phone with internet access.
- A prohibition on having unregistered electronic devices.
- An order not to contact the university.
- A requirement to report to police daily.
However, investigators now claim she flouted these orders. Police allege the cyber-attacks continued, with more than 100,000 fraudulent emails sent to students. These messages were reportedly designed to damage the university's reputation and cause student distress.
It is further alleged she possessed a mobile phone modified to function as a computer terminal to carry out the offences and that she fabricated and posted material online in an attempt to exonerate herself.
Court Appearance and Fresh Charges
Kingston was refused bail when she faced Parramatta Local Court on Friday. Her previous bail was formally revoked. She now faces additional charges, including:
- Two counts of unauthorised function with intent to commit a serious offence.
- Two counts of fabricating false evidence to mislead a judicial tribunal.
- One count of breaching bail.
Her next court date is scheduled for January 30.
Linked to Earlier Scam Emails?
In a separate incident in October, thousands of Western Sydney University students and graduates received emails falsely claiming their degrees had been revoked. These messages appeared to come from a "no-reply@westernsydney.edu.au" address, included student ID numbers, and were signed by a "Board of Trustees."
Police have not yet confirmed if this earlier email scam is directly connected to the charges against Kingston. The investigation remains ongoing.
