Optus Data Breach Exposes 11.2M Customers, 3.66M Licence Numbers
Optus, a major Australian telecommunications company, has been hit by a significant cyberattack. Over 11 million Australians' personal information was compromised, with the hacker, known as 'Optusdata', demanding a USD1 million ransom. The stolen data includes details of 11.2 million Optus customers and 3.66 million driving licence numbers.
The breach, discovered in September 2022, saw the hacker exploit an exposed API at Optus to systematically download customer data. Optus' security systems detected the data download but were unable to prevent the breach. Optusdata then posted samples of the stolen data on BreachForums, a dark web hacking community forum, and demanded a USD1 million ransom, threatening to release the data if the demand was not met.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil is planning reforms to allow companies to more quickly notify financial institutions in case of sensitive customer data theft. Optus is currently investigating the veracity of the sample data posted online. Executive Director of Information Security Media Group, Jeremy Kirk, believes similar data breaches are likely to happen again.
The Optus data breach has highlighted the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and prompt notification in case of data theft. With 11.2 million customers and 3.66 million driving licence numbers compromised, the incident underscores the need for companies to prioritise data protection and for governments to implement swift notification procedures.
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