Optus faces class action over cybersecurity breach
STORY: Some 100,000 people in Australia have registered for a class action lawsuit against telecommunications giant Optus...
... after a data hacking crisis last year compromised roughly 1.2 million of its customers.
The claim lodged by law firm Slater and Gordon in federal court on Friday (April 21) accuses Optus of breaching laws and the company’s own internal policies.
While the claim didn’t mention how much class action members want for compensation...
... lawyer Ben Hardwick said it should reflect the gravity of the incident.
“We’ll be seeking a substantial sum of compensation from Optus. The amount of damages will ultimately be a matter for the court. For everyday Australians, their privacy is often priceless so it’s hard to put a price on what it means to have your information compromised.”
Starting with the Optus breach in September, a spate of cyber attacks on Australia’s corporate sector exposed data from tens of millions of customers online.
The lawsuit seeks compensation for the time and money required to replace identity documents, and for distress caused by the breach.
Victims of the hack have recently spoken to Australian media.
“Jane”, who’s using an alias, claims her real name, address, phone number and email address were leaked online.
“I’ve had a history of domestic violence and a partner who had been charged with stalking and threats to kill so those sort of things, that information you don’t want out. You don’t want people finding that information out. I’ve gone to extreme lengths over the years to keep basic details secret or hidden.”
Another victim, “Kate”, told Australian media the Optus data breach caused safety worries for her and her children – as she too had been a victim of domestic violence.
“I would like some accountability and responsibility. It has affected so many people so deeply and it’s not just something that was an inconvenience then and there, it’s something that’s continuous and ongoing for the victims.”
Singapore-owned Optus said in an exchange filing that it had not yet been served with any court documents on the matter, and would defend itself in the class action.
