Optus Data Breach – The Latest Advice on What You Should do if You’ve Been a Victim
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What data was stolen?
According to Optus, the stolen data includes:
· Names
· email addresses
· postal addresses
· phone numbers
· dates of birth
· passport numbers
· driver’s licence numbers
· Medicare numbers
Contrary to some reports, passwords and financial information were not stolen.
However, this is a great opportunity for your to do some “spring cleaning” and improve your password and Cybersecurity hygiene.
Firstly, get yourself a password manager, such as LastPass, so you can not only store all your passwords securely, you can use the manager to:
Check how secure your passwords are
Ensure you’re using unique passwords for every site or service you’re subscribed to
Check to see if your email address(es) or commonly used passwords have ever been involved in a known breach. You can also check this at Have I Been Pwned.
DON’T make up your own passwords.
Password managers create random, unique passwords, and let you set the complexity and length.
We recommend:
Upper and lowercase characters
Numbers
Symbols (not all sites allow this)
20 characters (not all sites allow passwords this long)
Set a complex and easy to remember master password for your password manager.
We recommend a sentence with upper and lowercase, numbers and a symbol. E.g. ILoveParisInSpring2022! is a strong password.
For any sites or services, you’ve subscribed to that offer multifactor authentication for your online accounts, turning this on is a must. Only certain sites force multifactor authentication on you, such as financial accounting packages such as Xero and MYOB.
For any others, the best thing to do is to Google “How to turn on multifactor for %INSERT SERVICE HERE%” and you should be able to find an FAQ page for that service explaining how to enable it.
This is your first line of defence!
Now, not all multifactor authentication is created equal. Some are more secure than others. e.g. getting a code sent to your email or sending an SMS to your mobile is not recommended. This is worth a separate post. Watch this space!
However, some sort of MFA is better than nothing.
What Else Should You Do?
Contact your local Road and Traffic Authority
The New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia governments have started clearing bureaucratic hurdles for anyone who can prove they are victims of the hack.
Each state has different laws and processes, so be sure to check out your local Road and Traffic Authority website for more information.
VIC: Information regarding Optus breach : VicRoads
NSW - https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/optus-breach
QLD - https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/licensing/update/change-your-customer-reference-number
SA - https://service.sa.gov.au/news?a=1112633
ACT - https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/Information-about-the-Optus-data-breach
WA - https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/aboutus/37546_48564.asp
Medicare
All the customers who have an unexpired Medicare card will be contacted by Optus. There are a further 22,000 expired Medicare card numbers that were exposed, and the holders of those cards will also be contacted directly. It's worth noting that Optus says personal information cannot be accessed using just a Medicare number.
Credit Reporting
Optus is providing one year of free Equifax credit reporting, identify and credit monitoring tool. Contact Optus for a code - then go to https://www.equifax.com.au/optus
Put a temporary ban on your credit reporting - this will block anyone from applying for credit in your name. Extensions to the ban are possible under certain circumstances, especially if you suspect you’ve been the target of identity theft or Cybercrime. https://www.equifax.com.au/eform/submit/credit-ban
Banking
Make sure all your financial systems have multi-factor authentication. Surprisingly, and perhaps even shockingly, some banks and financial institutions don't force MFA on you, and some don't even offer it.
Contact your bank and notify them your data has been breached in the Optus breach and ask them to put a note on your file.
How do I replace my passport?
You can replace your passport by:
· going through Passport replacement portal
· picking up a form at a participating Australia Post outlet
· contacting an Australian diplomatic or consular mission
Further Information
If you think you may be affected by the recent Optus data breach, contact Optus Customer service on 133 937. Optus Media Centre | Optus
If you need assistance with taking these steps, please visit cyber.gov.au or on 1300 CYBER1 hotline
Be alert for scams referencing the Optus data breach. Learn how to protect yourself from scams by visiting www.scamwatch.gov.au.
If you are concerned that your identity has been compromised or you have been a victim of a scam, contact your bank immediately and call IDCARE on 1800 595 160.
If your identity has been stolen, you can apply for a Commonwealth Victims' Certificate
The following websites can help you protect yourself and stay informed:
· Report cybercrime | https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/report
· Australian Cyber Security Centre Homepage | ACSC
· Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Complaints
If you wish to make a privacy complaint, If you have been affected by the data breach and wish to make a privacy complaint, you can raise this with Optus.
If you are unable to resolve your complaint with Optus, you may wish to lodge a complaint with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. If you are unsatisfied with the outcome, you can lodge a privacy complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Credit:
The Guardian Optus data breach: everything we know so far about what happened | Optus | The Guardian
Malwarebytes Optus data breach "attacker" says sorry, it was a mistake (malwarebytes.com)
Australian Goverment Optus Data Breach | Australian Passport Office (passports.gov.au)
