As you are likely aware, on the 22nd September Optus disclosed what may have been the single largest data breach in Australian Corporate history, putting your identity and business cyber security at risk. Recent developments suggest that most data may have been deleted, although there is no certainty at this stage.
Our team at Evisent have been monitoring this situation closely. Should you have been affected our advice is to seek replacement identity documents and arrange a credit monitoring subscription as soon as possible. Please find some further information below.
State License Replacement Information
A driver’s license equates to 40 points of your 100-point ID check. If you are/were an Optus customer, our advice is to apply for a license replacement at earliest. Some States, such as Victoria, are providing free of charge, in other states you may be charged a fee although there is the possibility that you may be able to recoup this cost from Optus directly.
Medicare Card Replacement
A Medicare card equates to 25 points of your 100-point ID check. The process is fairly straightforward; therefore we suggest that all current and prior Optus customers (during the period 2017-2022) arrange a replacement.
Passport Replacement
A Passport is a primary form of identification that is worth 70 points of your 100-point ID check. On the 30th of September, the Prime Minister confirmed that Optus will cover costs for affected customers. The Australian Passport Office is working with Optus to finalise these arrangements.
Credit Reports
A credit report is a current snapshot of your credit related transactions, where a provider of credit has checked your history. You are entitled to one free credit report every year through the official Australian Credit Reporting agencies.
Equifax – Credit Report
illion – Credit Report
Experian – Credit Report
Credit Bans
When a credit ban is arranged it places a freeze on your credit file, meaning that reporting agencies are not able to disclose any information to credit providers without your written consent (or if they are required by law), preventing criminals from taking out loans in your name.
IDCARE Fact Sheet – General Information
Equifax – Credit Ban
illion – Credit Ban
Experian – Credit Ban
Equifax Credit and Identity Protect
If you feel that your identity is at risk following the recent data breach, we strongly recommend taking up a more comprehensive credit and identity protection service such as that offered by Equifax. This subscription costs around *$15 per month, but does include monthly credit reports, updates on credit scores/ratings/limits, dark web monitoring, up to $15,000 of insurance coverage in the event of identity theft, along with additional features designed to give you peace of mind.
*It is worth contacting Optus to see whether if they will reimburse the subscription fees.
Equifax Credit & Identity Protect
We understand that Optus may still be in the process of contacting affected customers. If you are notified that your personal information has been compromised, we suggest that you refer to the guide provided by ID Care (iDCare) and/or Services Australia (Services Australia).
We also recommend the following action:
- Be on high alert for potential scams (SMS/Phone/Email).
- Subscribe to Scamwatch (Scamwatch) for updates from the Australian Government.
- Use strong and unique passwords with Multi Factor Authentication, particularly in relation to business-critical systems such as Microsoft365.
- Secure your mobile phone account by changing the associated PIN or password
- Regularly check your financial accounts for unusual activity.
This situation highlights vulnerabilities to cyber-crime for all businesses, particularly those holding significant volumes of personal information. It is imperative that businesses ensure that they are proactive in protecting their customer data, the best way to get started is to understand your current security posture. We are offering a FREE Cyber Risk Review, along with a consultation to discuss our findings and highlight any concerns: Cyber Risk Review – Evisent
If you have any queries please feel free to reach out to us on 1300 384 736 or info@evisent.com.au.
