TPG Telecom, a major Australian telecommunications company, has confirmed a cyberattack affecting its iiNet customers after an unauthorized party accessed the company’s order management system using compromised employee credentials.
The breach was discovered on Saturday, August 16, and initially described as “limited.” However, the extent of the data accessed reveals a more significant impact. The compromised system, used for managing customer service orders within the iiNet brand, did not contain sensitive information like identity documents or financial details, but a substantial amount of customer data was still exposed.
The stolen data includes 280,000 active iiNet email addresses, around 20,000 active iiNet landline phone numbers, approximately 10,000 iiNet user names along with corresponding street addresses and phone numbers, and roughly 1,700 modem set-up passwords. This information could be exploited for malicious activities such as phishing campaigns, voice scams, and malware distribution through vulnerable modems.
TPG Telecom acknowledged the potential risks associated with the breach, including the possibility of banking account compromises, social media account takeovers, identity theft, and wire fraud. Despite the risks, the company emphasized that there is currently no evidence of the stolen data being used maliciously.
“We unreservedly apologise to our iiNet customers impacted by this incident,” TPG Telecom stated in its announcement. In response to the breach, TPG Telecom plans to contact both affected and unaffected iiNet customers to provide guidance and assistance. The company intends to inform impacted customers about necessary actions to mitigate potential risks and reassure unaffected customers that their data remains secure.
The incident is currently under investigation, with TPG Telecom working to contain the breach and prevent future occurrences. The company’s priority is to protect its customers and maintain the integrity of its systems, as reported initially by The Register.
