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🇦🇺 Australia /Technology

Origin Energy Data Breach: Lessons in Cybersecurity Vulnerability

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Origin Energy reported a data breach affecting 900,000 current and former customers.
  • Cybersecurity experts warn that complete online security is impossible, and personal information shared online is always at risk.
  • The breach highlights the vulnerability of customer data and the need for constant vigilance against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Origin Energy recently disclosed a significant data breach, exposing the information of 900,000 current and former customers. This incident has reignited concerns about the prevalence and severity of cybersecurity threats, underscoring the vulnerability of individuals whose data resides online.

There is no such thing as 100 per cent security.

— Mihai LazarescuAssociate Professor in AI and Cybersecurity at Curtin University, commenting on the inevitability of data compromise.

Associate Professor Mihai Lazarescu, an AI and Cybersecurity expert at Curtin University, emphasized that absolute security online is an illusion. "There is no such thing as 100 per cent security," he stated, explaining that any information placed online carries a risk of compromise. He specifically advised against sharing full names and dates of birth, as this constitutes identifiable evidence.

Lazarescu noted that while Origin's breach affected hundreds of thousands, it is not the largest in Australia's history, with companies like Optus, Qantas, and Canva having experienced breaches impacting millions. He suggested that a power company being breached should not be surprising, given the ease of data access online. "It will get worse," he predicted, adding that "99 percent of people have no understanding of how difficult it is to protect data."

It will get worse.

— Mihai LazarescuAssociate Professor Mihai Lazarescu predicting the future trend of data breaches.

The professor highlighted social media as a particularly easy avenue for criminals to gather data, pointing out that users often share sensitive details like locations and timings in posts. He described organized criminal groups as highly sophisticated, with even young individuals capable of advanced coding. The consequences of data leaks can range from increased risk of hacking to the sale of personal data on the dark web, leading to complex and costly remediation efforts.

99 percent of people have no understanding of how difficult it is to protect data.

— Mihai LazarescuAssociate Professor Mihai Lazarescu on the general public's awareness of data protection challenges.

Lazarescu stressed the importance of ongoing vigilance, including regularly checking financial statements and being mindful of the information shared online. He called for serious discussions outlining the risks and potential consequences of data leaks to customers, emphasizing that effective data protection requires both technical and administrative perfection.

You see people posting online with photos with specific locations, timing. These are not secure.

— Mihai LazarescuAssociate Professor Mihai Lazarescu explaining how social media can be exploited by criminals.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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