Singtel's Optus says no passport replacement needed for those affected by cyber attack
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Optus said it is "now communicating" this to affected customers as a result of discussions with the Australian government.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SINGAPORE - Singtel subsidiary Optus on Friday said customers whose passport numbers were exposed in a recent massive cyberattack would not need to replace their passports.
Optus said it is "now communicating" this to affected customers as a result of discussions with the Australian government. Canberra had previously said that Optus would pay for the replacements after demands from the federal government.
Optus last week confirmed that 2.1 million of its customers had valid or expired government identification numbers compromised as a result of the hack last month.
However, all 9.8 million customers had other personal information exposed, including e-mail addresses, date of birth, or phone numbers.
In its latest statement, Optus said the Australian government has been working with the company to safeguard customers from the possibility of identity crime. This includes providing advice on actions impacted customers should take, if any.
Singtel shares were trading unchanged at $2.48 at 11.42am on Friday.
