How safe is your data?
 

What a mess. Hackers (or maybe a single hacker) have got into Optus data here in Australia and stolen the personal details of up to 9.8 million past and present customers.

The stolen data includes full names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, also passport, driver’s licence and Medicare card numbers. Unfortunately this information can be used for identity theft in such cases as signing up for loans and so on.

Depending on which report is read it is either a sophisticated hack or it is a non-sophisticated hack that some young person could have done. In other words nobody knows. It seems that 10,000 records have already been released and though initially there was a demand for a large sum of money from Optus there has now been an apology from the alleged hacker with a message that no more records will be released. It is all very confusing. It is very worrying for Optus customers.

We are expected to give our personal details when required and hope that these remain confidential and safe….apparently this is not always the case. Makes you stop and think, and maybe hesitate a bit.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

I suppose the answers is…it isn’t safe once you hand it over to someone else.
You have no control over how organisations and companies take care of your details.
And by the time you find out their security is unreliable, it is too late because breaches mean someone is at risk of identity theft.
I do not have any idea as to what the answer is.
More and more we are expected to do things online….and putting our data into the hands of others.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Hi Dotti,

Must ask my Daughter who lives in Cairns, if she has been affected by this scam!

Cheers

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Today I have received two emails which appear to have come from Les Hardy, a prominent natural historian wjho lives in Acc. They aroused my suspicion because of the minimal wording. I have phoned Les and been told that he has been hacked into.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Your data is not safe.
I have it all mwahahahaaaa! :)

Seriously though - it's not.
Even 2 factor authentication etc. does not keep your data safe.
For this reason I try to keep as much as possible that will allow someone to scam me "offline", even though I do use internet banking etc.
We just have to pray we are not the unlucky ones today.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

With regard to the Australian fiasco, I’m not with Optus but I have family members who are. From reports it would seem that victims of this data hack have received messages from scammers who have their personal details, demanding payment. The FBI has been called in to help with investigations.

The wording used on the messages that are supposedly from the hackers is not in good English and there are lots of spelling mistakes, so either they are from overseas or are trying to make it appear so.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

The authentication process for my banking is three layers.
One layer is static…the same every time but the other two layers jiggle my details around.
I hate giving me details online…..but sometimes it is unavoidable.
Like you, Rainbow….I just hope that it is like when I am in the shops….I seem to be invisible there….let’s hope that this is true for my online presence too.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Just got word from my daughter that she was affected by this Scam. We will talk to her tomorrow (via Skype) and find out to what extent she has been affected.
By the way I have a special programme installed to stop any infiltration when using the Internet, in my case it is called “Bitdefender VPN” and is part of the Antivirus programme “Bitdefender”, but many Antivirus programmes will have something similar to offer.
Cheers

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Just been talking with my daughter, and she told me the following:
- She was informed by Optus that they had been Hacked.
- Luckily nothing has happened so far.
- They were offered the option of getting a new driving license, account number changed etc.

So all in all a lucky outcome.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

That must be a relief…..these hackers are scum.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Hi Margaret,

Yes indeed.
I noticed in an earlier message that your bank authentication process is 3-fold same as mine ie.

1) Login number
2) Password
3) A digital device (only programmed for me) which can be activated as soon as the correct password has be entered, where a sort of QR-Code appears on the screen and can then be scanned in and converted into a series of numbers, which in turn will get you into your account.

Cheers

Philip

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Mine gives me an eight digit numeric code…this changes every time the device is activated

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Baffled once more, by eck no wonder your better? half is struggling with this new fangled technology.;);)

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Taddy, if anything happens to me…he will have to sell his body to buy a bag of chips….he certainly would not get into the banking online.
I did show him once and I saw his eyes glaze over.

Re: How safe is your data?
 

Hi Margaret,
Looks like your's is much easier than mine, Saves the scanning in to get the digital numbers, great.
Cheers