SYDNEY Reuters -- Australian authorities said on Friday they have begun an operation to protect the personal information of 10,000 people whose data may have been shared online after a cyber attack on Optus, the country's second largest telco.
The efforts came three days after an unidentified person posted online that they had released personal details of 10,000 Optus customers and would keep doing so daily until they received $1 million.
The Australian Federal Police AFP assistant commissioner for cyber command Justine Gough said the agency was working to identify and protect the same number of people whose details have been illegally released. The targeted operation is the most public acknowledgment to date by police about the threat to customers, although Gough wouldn't comment on the ransom post.
Since the Singapore Telecommunications-owned telco reported the theft of data of up to 10 million accounts on Sept. 22, equivalent to 40% of Australia's population, authorities have refused to comment on their investigation.
"We are concerned that 10,000 people may have their 100 point identification compromised," Gough told reporters.
Under Australian law, official documents are assigned point scores that can be used for identity verification purposes to clear sensitive transactions, which typically require at least 100 identification points.
The stolen data included passport numbers, which are worth 70 points, and drivers licence numbers, which are worth 40 points, according to Optus.
Gough said police were running data analysis to identify the 10,000 customers, monitoring the internet for signs of criminals trying to sell the data and putting banks on high alert for suspicious transactions.
While she did not comment on the ransom post - which was retracted within a few hours - Gough said authorities around the world including the U.S. FBI were pursuing multiple leads.
She added that who is behind this attack has used obfuscation techniques.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday Optus had agreed to pay the cost of replacing passports of compromised customers after agreeing to his public demand the previous day.
Albanese told reporters that Optus responded to my request. They will cover the cost of replacing affected customers' passports. I think that is a good idea. Australian state governments have said they will replace drivers licences of compromised Optus customers.
Optus was not immediately responding to the emailed request for comment.