A little over a week ago,relatively few people beyond the readers of the business pages knew who Optus boss Kelly Bayer Rosmarin was,let alone what she did for a living. Not any more.
Five months after a third of the US population had their data stolen in a hack on the American Target,the CEO resigned. All eyes are now on Optus’ boss.
Only 16,000 Optus customers across the state will need a replacement driver’s licence,compared with 1.2 million in Victoria and Queensland.
The government’s management of the crisis has been remarkable. Not only because it’s been relatively effective and purposeful. But because of everything else going on around it.
With Optus’ data breach forcing thousands to change their passports,licences and Medicare cards,Optus could end up with a billion-dollar bill to clean up its mess.
It comes as PM Anthony Albanese revealed Optus had agreed to cover the cost of replacement passports for customers who had their passport numbers stolen.
The privacy coin,established in 2014,is a favourite of the online underworld.
Companies appear to be hoarding vast troves of customer data for commercial benefit,Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said.
Telephone users once kept their secrets off-line,lest the switchboard operator was listening. Now,a generation remains mute,but has its secrets stolen anyway.
Optus revealed almost 37,000 Medicare numbers were exposed in the hack as Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil stood by her criticisms of the company.