The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has arrested a 19-year-antique youngsterager from Sydney for allegedly trying to leverage the records leaked following the Optus records breach past due ultimate month to extort victims. The suspect is stated to have achieved a textual content message blackmail rip-off, annoying that the recipients transfer $2,000 to a financial institution account or hazard getting their private records misused for fraudulent activities.
The supply of the records, the organisation stated, turned into a pattern database of 10,two hundred statistics that turned into published in brief on a cybercrime discussion board available at the clearnet with the aid of using an actor named “optusdata,” earlier than taking it down. Details of the rip-off have been formerly shared with the aid of using 9News Australia reporter Chris O’Keefe on September 27, 2022.
The AFP in addition stated it carried out a seek warrant at the house of the offender, main to the seizure of a cell telecellsmartphone used to ship the textual content messages to approximately ninety three Optus customers. “At this degree it seems not one of the those who acquired the textual content message transferred cash to the account,” it noted. The unnamed person has been charged with the use of a telecommunication community with the motive to dedicate a severe offense and managing identity records. Both the prices are punishable with the aid of using a most penalty of imprisonment for 10 and seven years, respectively.
The arrest comes as Optus, in advance this week, showed that the breach impacted almost 2.1 million of its present day and previous customers, exposing their license numbers and Medicare ID numbers. The improvement additionally follows the release of Operation Guardian with the aid of using the regulation enforcement organisation to discover the affected 10,two hundred people and display net boards for risk actors trying to make the most the launched records for economic benefit. Also installation withinside the aftermath of the breach is Operation Hurricane, which targets to unmask the risk actor chargeable for the breach. To that end, the AFP stated it is aggressively pursuing all strains of enquiry. Found this newsletter interesting? Follow THN on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to study greater exceptional content material we post.
