[dbaust] NATIONAL: Advice for customers affected by latest Telstra privacy breach

From: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:35:26 -0800 (PST)

NATIONAL:
Advice for customers affected by latest Telstra privacy breach

Sent:
Monday, 12 December, 2011 3:06 PM

From:  "Sue Salthouse"
<sudata@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

 

 

 

 

For
the information of Telstra Bigpond customers.

 

 

 

Regards,
Sue

 

 

 

 

 

From:
Elise Davidson [mailto:elise.davidson@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Sent:
Monday, 12 December 2011 4:08 PM

To:
Elise Davidson

Subject:
Media release: Advice for customers affected by latest Telstra privacy breach

 

 

 

Media
release

For
immediate release 12th December 2011

 

 

 

Advice
for customers affected by latest Telstra privacy breach

 

 

 

The
Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) says while it is
appropriate that Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim has launched an
investigation into the latest Telstra privacy breach, customers with concerns
should consider making their own complaint.

 

 

 

ACCAN
says customers with concerns should contact Telstra via its hotline on 133 933.
If they want to make a complaint, it’s important they use the word “complaint”
when speaking to the customer service representative.

 

 

 

If
customers are unsatisfied with Telstra’s response they can make a complaint as
an individual to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

 

 

 

“Telstra
are telling their customers that it has had an ‘internal systems outage’ but we
think this explanation only tells part of the story. Telstra has had a major
privacy breach of one of its customer databases, including 70,000 usernames and
passwords for BigPond accounts,” ACCAN Chief Executive Teresa Corbin said this
afternoon.

 

 

 

“This
latest security breach by Telstra is simply not good enough and we, like
Telstra customers, look forward to a detailed explanation as to why one of its
customer service databases was available on a public web page.”

 

 

 

The
breach, which was made public on Friday afternoon, resulted in thousands of
customers having their BigPond email and self-service facilities disabled until
late Saturday. 

 

 

 

ACCAN
is calling on the Privacy Commissioner to expand its own-motion inquiry to
consider the security of Telstra customers’ personal information right across
the business.

 

 

 

“It’s
only a matter of months since the Privacy Commissioner completed his last
inquiry into Telstra. We believe there are now grounds to question the adequacy
of the protection of customer information across all platforms,” said Ms
Corbin.

 

 

 

“The
last investigation into Telstra by the Privacy Commissioner identified a
privacy breach related to a mail out but dismissed it as a one-off human error.
We think the magnitude of this breach is much more serious and should result in
a wider investigation by the OAIC using independent IT security analysts.”

 

 

 

“This
is as much a test for the Privacy Commissioner as it is for Telstra. Customers
want to know they can trust companies to keep their personal data secure. We’ve
seen a growing number of these types of breaches this year alone and
organisations must be held to account.”

 

 

 

Link
to consumer tip sheet: Privacy Complaints: Who Can You Turn To?

 

 

 

Link
to Telstra hot line details:
http://exchange.telstra.com.au/2011/12/10/public-announcement/

 

 

 

Media
contact: Elise Davidson M: 0409 966 931

 

 

 

Kind
regards

Elise

 

 

 

Elise
Davidson

Media
& Communications

Australian
Communications Consumer Action Network

Phone:
02 9288 4010

Mobile:
0409 966 931

Fax:
02 9288 4019

TTY:
02 9281 5322

 

Follow
us on twitter @ACCAN_AU
[dbaust] NATIONAL: Advice for customers affected by latest Telstra privacy breach

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