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Optus customers have been sent an email from the telco giant detailing what information was accessed in a “malicious and unauthorised” cyberattack on its systems.
If the “worst case scenario” comes to fruition, 9.8 million customers’ personal data was compromised in the attack Optus learned of Wednesday afternoon. However, Optus sent a press release 24 hours later alerting the media instead of notifying its customers directly.
Customers are now being contacted via email by the telco’s CEO, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin informing them of the data breach.
The email was sent to customers with their mobile number, account number and device type exposed.
“At Optus, we take the security of your data extremely seriously. We recently detected some unusual activity on several customer accounts, and our team immediately launched an investigation,” the email read.
“During our investigation, we discovered that unauthorised persons had access to some customer accounts on our website and mobile app. They then used these accounts to view and download a small amount of customer data.”
The email went on to say that the “malicious and unauthorised” access was “quickly identified and stopped” and that Optus had notified the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and law enforcement authorities.
“It is important to note that no financial information or passwords have been accessed. The exposed information includes your name, date of birth, email, phone number, and address associated with your account. Additionally, the numbers on your ID documents (e.g., driver’s licence number or passport number) may also be compromised. The security of your photo IDs has not been jeopardised in any way.”
“We understand how important your privacy is to you, and we apologise unreservedly for this incident,” the email said.
“We have taken steps to increase security on our systems and continue working closely with the ACSC and law enforcement authorities.”
Optus has received criticism for notifying customers about the incident long after informing the media. The telco has responded to customers, stating that it was “the quickest and most efficient method” to notify them.
Now, the damage caused to consumers by this breach is becoming more apparent, with emails being circulated.
Scamwatch, the Australian government’s consumer protection nonprofit, has urged all Optus customers to be on their guard for unusual activity on their accounts and communications they receive by phone or email.
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