For the up to 10 million Australians whose personal information was taken by a hacker, Optus has been ordered by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to pay for the issuance of new passports.
On Wednesday, Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin received a letter from Foreign Minister Penny Wong in which she made the demand.
There is no need for these Australians, or taxpayers generally on their behalf, to foot the bill for getting a new passport, according to Ms. Wong.
As federal and state governments take measures to assist people impacted by one of the largest cyber breaches to ever strike Australia, millions of affected Optus customers are already in line for new Medicare cards and driver’s licenses.
Driver’s license numbers, passport information, Medicare numbers, dates of birth, and home addresses were among the data taken from Optus.
Optus allegedly took days to notify the government that certain Medicare numbers were potentially compromised, according to Health Minister Mark Butler.
On Wednesday morning, Mr. Butler said on ABC Radio National Breakfast, “It’s really sad that we just learned that Medicare records were included in that data leak in the past 24 hours or so.”
All of the government’s efforts are now being directed on safeguarding consumers in the wake of this massive data leak.
The administration is investigating the possibility of giving impacted individuals new Medicare numbers.
The Medicare number that Australians get is often valid for their whole lifetime.
The Medicare decision comes as demand mounts on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) to give new passports to people impacted as a top priority, and as states and territories provide Optus users with the chance to change their driver’s license for free.
According to a statement from Liberal senator James Paterson, “Victims of the Optus cyber intrusion should not have to wait or pay considerable sums of cash to safeguard their personal information, and acquire a new passport.”
People should decide for themselves whether or not they want a new passport, according to DFAT, assuring individuals who are impacted that fraudsters cannot get a passport using your identity.
There are “strong protections that protect your passport against identity takeover, including advanced facial recognition technology,” according to a statement on the DFAT website.
Your real passport would be required by the hackers, not just the information on it.
All clients whose identifying document numbers were compromised, according to a statement from Optus, have been notified.
This applies to everybody whose driver’s license or passport information was compromised as a consequence of the hack.
Optus said that it was also attempting to get in touch with anybody whose other data, such their email address, had been hacked.
The company affirmed that the theft did not expose any payment information or account passwords.
However, several jurisdictions have offered free replacement driver’s licenses if you are one of the consumers in Australia whose license information has been hacked.
What is now in effect in each Australian state and territory is listed below:
NSW
Anyone with a valid NSW driver’s license may submit an online application for a replacement.
Victor Dominello, the minister of customer service, said Optus will contact consumers “in the coming days” to let them know whether or not they needed to apply for a new driver’s license.
A temporary card number will be supplied to New South Wales residents who hold digital driving licenses instantly using the Service NSW app. Within 10 business days, a new plastic license card will be provided, according to Mr. Dominello.
Optus is anticipated to repay Service NSW’s $29 replacement price; a formal announcement is anticipated in the next few days.
At this time, it is unclear if the new license will entail a new card number or a new driver’s license number.
Victoria
In order to guard against any unauthorized alterations by prospective hackers, drivers in Victoria are urged to report any violations of their license to the Department of Transport.
The department has requested that Optus pay back to the Victorian government the cost of new licenses.
If Optus has informed you that your data has been compromised and you are concerned about the information of your license, you may get in touch with VicRoads to have your record flagged and ask for a new license.
“VicRoads will stop any unauthorized modifications or access to personal information via the Victorian license database by flagging records.” Records will also be identified in the national database, according to a statement posted online by the Victorian government.
“We strongly advise using the online form to register your information.” The form may be filled out quickly and easily, and you won’t have to wait on hold.
Anyone with a Victorian driver’s license who has been approached by Optus may fill out this form.
Queensland
For everyone who has been informed by Optus that their ID information has been compromised, a new driver’s license and driver’s license number have been verified, free of charge.
In a statement, Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “If you are affected by the Optus data breach, Transport and Main Roads Queensland will give you a replacement driving license with a new license number at no cost.”
Additionally, a special hotline (07 3097 3108) has been established for people who want immediate help or more information.
Australia’s South
It will also be free to get a new driver’s license in South Australia.
Anyone looking for a new card was instructed by Service SA to visit one of its centers with paperwork proving they were impacted by the attack by Optus.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said in a statement that “the South Australian State Government would forgo the regular replacement charge for South Australians needing a new driver’s license as a consequence of the recent Optus data leak.”
A new driver’s license card will be prepared and sent to you when your license number has been altered, according to a statement on the Service SA website.
You may access your new license right away digitally on the mySAGOV app and via your mySAGOV account.
A complete refund may be obtained in person at a Service SA location by anybody who has previously paid for a new card.
ACT
According to the ACT Government, it is trying to provide new driver’s licenses to everyone whose license and card information have both been compromised.
Whether they will be replaced for free or at a fee is still unknown.
The ACT government stated in a statement that “all customers who do this will be contacted by Access Canberra once the following steps are established.”
According to the ACT government, any new card will only include a replacement card license number, not a new license number, and the current cost for a replacement card is $42.60.
Western Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory
These states and territories have not yet provided information on what Optus users may do about driver’s licenses.
Optus’ statements on the breach:
What led to this?
The target of a cyberattack was Optus. We acted promptly to stop the assault, which was exclusively directed at the data of Optus customers. Messages and phone conversations have not been compromised, and Optus’ infrastructure and services, including mobile and home internet, remain unaffected. Optus services continue to be safe to use and run normally.
Has the assault been halted?
Yes. When Optus realized this, the assault was immediately stopped.
To reduce potential dangers to clients, we are now collaborating with the Australian Cyber Security Centre. Additionally, we have informed the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Information Commissioner, and important regulators.
Why did we approach the media rather than our clients first?
Data security for our clients is of utmost importance to us. We took this action because it was the simplest and most efficient approach to warn as many of our current and previous clients as we could, allowing them to be watchful and keep an eye out for any strange conduct. Contacting clients who have been directly affected is currently being done.
What details about me may have been revealed?
Customers’ names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, and, for a subset of customers, addresses, as well as ID document numbers like those on a driver’s license or passport, may have been exposed. Customers that are impacted will get immediate notification of the particular information stolen.
Mobile and home internet services from Optus are unaffected. Voice calls, text messages, payment information, billing information, and account passwords have not been hacked.
What can I do to safeguard myself if I believe I’ve been a victim of fraud?
Although we are not presently aware of any customers who have been harmed, we urge you to be more vigilant about all of your accounts, particularly:
Monitor all of your internet accounts, including your bank accounts, for any unusual or suspicious behavior. Make careful to notify the relevant provider right once of any fraudulent activity.
Be on the lookout for correspondence from con artists who may obtain your personal information. This might apply to shady social media posts, emails, texts, or phone calls.
Never disclose your passwords or any other personal or financial information, and never click on links that seem dubious.
If I suspect my account has been hijacked, how can I get in touch with Optus?
The safest method to get in touch with Optus is still via the My Optus App, but you may also phone us at 133 937 if you’re a consumer client if you think your account has been hacked. Wait times might be greater than normal as a result of the cyberattack’s effects.
Contact your account manager or us at (133) 343 if you are a business client.
How can I tell if I’ve been affected?
Contacting clients who have been directly affected is currently being done.