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It’s not just your bank account that’s at risk of being hacked. Cybercriminals could steal your health insurance and phone company details too.
That’s the warning from several Australians who have had their identities stolen in recent cyber attacks on Medibank and Optus.
The hacks have sparked fears about the potential for identity theft, with victims saying they are now worried about what other personal information may have been accessed.
“I’m concerned about what other information might have been compromised – such as my Medicare number or credit card details,” one victim shared.
“I’ve had to change all my passwords and am much more vigilant about checking my accounts online.”
Medibank said it was aware of a “small number” of customers affected by the hack. In contrast, Optus said it was investigating an incident that had involved “a minimal number” of its customers.
Both companies urged customers to change their passwords and monitor their accounts for suspicious activity.
Cyber security experts said the attacks highlighted the need for organisations to do more to protect customer data.
“These sorts of attacks are becoming increasingly common, and organisations need to do more to protect their customers’ data,” said Mark Nunnikhoven, vice president of cloud security at Trend Micro.
“This includes implementing strong password policies, using two-factor authentication and encrypting data.”
Identity theft can have severe consequences for victims, who find themselves locked out of their accounts, unable to access their funds or with damaged credit ratings.
“It’s a very worrying time for anyone who has been a victim of identity theft,” said Peter Sweeney, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.
“There are many things that can happen as a result, and it can take a long time to recover from.”
Sweeney advised victims to change their passwords and monitor their accounts closely for any suspicious activity.
He also urged organisations to do more to protect customer data.
“Organisations need to be much more vigilant about protecting customer data,” he said.
“This includes ensuring that data is encrypted, using strong password policies and implementing two-factor authentication.”
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) said it was aware of the incidents and was working with the organisations involved.
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