Optus warns cyberattack may have exposed Australian client details

A woman uses her mobile phone as she walks past an Optus store in Sydney, Australia, on February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/File Photo

SYDNEY, Sept 22 (Reuters) – Optus, the Australian unit of telecommunications company Singtel (STEL.SI), said it was investigating possible unauthorized access to customers’ home addresses, passport numbers and phone numbers following a cyber attack.

Wireless carrier Optus said in a statement on Thursday that it shut down the attack as soon as it discovered it and that payment details and account passwords were not compromised.

It said it had notified the Australian Federal Police and was investigating whether the information of current and former customers was accessed.

“Optus is working with the Australian Cyber ​​Security Centre to mitigate any risk to customers,” Optus said in a statement on its website.

Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said: “We are shocked to discover that we have suffered a cyberattack that has resulted in the disclosure of our customers’ personal information to people who should not be able to see it.”

Australian newspapers reported that as many as 9 million customers may have been affected. Reuters could not verify the figure, and Optus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Optus has also notified major financial institutions. While we are not aware of any harm to our customers, we encourage customers to be more aware of their accounts, including being aware of unusual or fraudulent activity and anything that seems odd or suspicious,” the Optus statement added. .

Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan

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