Description

Australian telecom provider Tangerine disclosed a data breach affecting around 232,000 customers on February 18, 2023, attributing it to the compromise of a third-party contractor's credentials. The breach exposed customers' personal information, including names, birthdates, mobile numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, and Tangerine account numbers. Despite the breach, Tangerine assured that sensitive data such as credit/debit card numbers, driver's license details, ID documentation, banking information, and passwords remained unaffected due to their minimal data retention policies. Tangerine CEO Andrew Branson emphasized the company's efforts to minimize stored data, citing the absence of certain sensitive information in their systems. Tangerine assured customers of the security of their accounts, mentioning the implementation of multifactor authentication through texted verification codes. Additionally, the company confirmed that its services, including nbn® and mobile services, remained unaffected and safe to use. This breach highlights a broader trend in the Australian telecommunications sector, with several leading companies experiencing breaches through third-party access to customer records. In response, the Australian government proposed classifying the telecommunications industry as "critical infrastructure" under the Security for Critical Infrastructure Act. Cybersecurity Minister Clare O'Neil emphasized the importance of strengthening the sector's cybersecurity standards to align with other critical infrastructure entities, such as electricity and water systems. Proposed legislative changes aim to mandate telco networks to develop comprehensive risk management programs to address cybersecurity threats effectively.