Optus, Australian government clash over massive data breach
Al JazeeraNov 25, 2022
The Facts
After a cyber attack on telecommunications company Optus compromised the data of around 10M customers last week, the Australian government on Wednesday called for the company to pay to replace the stolen documents to avoid identity fraud.
The most sensitive data compromised included the passports and driver's licenses of around 2.8M customers and some people's healthcare ID numbers. However, the health minister said the government hasn't yet decided whether Medicare cards need to be replaced.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Australians' data wasn't stolen through a complex and sophisticated attack; rather, Optus was left incredibly vulnerable through its own dereliction. Not only should Optus pay to replace all of the documents, but it should face extra financial penalties for its recklessness. It's time telecom companies take responsibility for their lax cybersecurity and the government raise the standards through legislation.
Pro-establishment narrative
Cyber hacks are an increasing trend in today's digital world, and hacks like these aren't unique to Optus. The company now faces repercussions far beyond just fines: the inevitable damage to its reputation will likely far outweigh any punishment the government can impose.
