Optus hacker has just released personal information of 10,000 Australian customers

Cyber security researcher and writer Jeremy Kirk from ISMG Corp broke the news via Twitter this morning (Tuesday September 27).

“The Optus hacker has released 10,000 customer records and says a 10K batch will be released every day over the next four days if Optus doesn’t give into the extortion demand,” he wrote.

The hacker is demanding they be paid $1.5 million.

Kirk also included a screenshot from the alleged hacker, who noted that ransom demand was a ‘small price’ to pay compared to the revenue Australia’s second-largest provider makes.

They also said they would delete customers' data from their hard drive once Optus pays up.

The company has been given four days to decide.

The hack included accessing passport details, license numbers, emails, home addresses, dates of birth, and telephone numbers. Optus confirmed that around 2.8 million customers' private information had been compromised.

Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said of the scandal: “We are devastated to discover that we have been subject to a cyberattack that has resulted in the disclosure of our customers’ personal information to someone who shouldn’t see it."

“Optus needs to communicate clearly to their customers about exactly what information’s been taken from specific individuals, and then needs to assist and support customers to manage the impacts of what is an unprecedented theft of consumer information in Australian history.”

She added: "We expect Optus to continue to do everything they can to support their customers and former customers.

"One way they can do this is providing free credit monitoring to impacted customers. 

"This will help protect those customers against identity theft and I call on Optus to make that commitment today."