Trends
TPG Telecom’s iiNet hit by cyber breach
TPG Telecom in Australia reported a cyber attack in its iiNet order system. Around 280,000 email addresses and other details were taken.
Headline
TPG Telecom in Australia reported a cyber attack in its iiNet order system. Around 280,000 email addresses and other details were taken.
Context
TPG Telecom , which is the second biggest internet provider in Australia, said on 19 August that there was a cyber incident in the order management system of its iiNet brand. Hackers entered the system by using stolen employee logins. They moved through the system and collected information that was stored there. The data that was exposed included around 280,000 active iiNet email addresses and around 20,000 active landline numbers. It also included about 10,000 usernames with names, home addresses, and phone numbers, and there were also some modem set-up passwords.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
TPG said that no sensitive documents and no banking details were stored in the system. TPG also said that there is no sign that the breach reached other systems. After the breach was confirmed TPG worked with outside cyber experts and shut down access to the system so the attacker could not reach it anymore. Also read: TPG telecom sends first satellite text via Vodafone network Also read: Vocus secures government greenlight for $3.4B TPG telecom deal The shows that a system that is not built to store sensitive data can still be used to leak large amounts of user information. It shows that employee login details are often the weak point in company security. In Australia the issue of cyber security has already grown because of big breaches at Optus and Medibank which affected millions of people and created debate about how companies store and protect data.
Key Points
- Attackers used stolen employee logins to break into iiNet’s order system and extract user data.
- The exposed about 280,000 email addresses, 20,000 numbers and 10,000 usernames with street addresses.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
