Optus hack: Victims to get free passport as Anthony Albanese confirms telco will pay

Optus has agreed to foot the bill for any victim embroiled in the massive telco hack who wants a new passport, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed.

The opposition pressured the federal government to pay for new passports for the more than 10 million people whose travel document details may have been stolen during last week’s hack.

However, Mr Albanian confirmed on Friday after the national cabinet that Optus had agreed to pay for their replacements.

Mr Albanese said it was “completely appropriate” for Optus to pay.

“I find it extraordinary that the federal opposition has called on taxpayers to foot the bill. I take note of Paul Fletcher’s comments in which he tried to play political with this issue and blame the government as he has been in a cabinet for nine years and has not seriously criticized Optus,” Mr Albanian told Friday. to reporters.

Optus has already agreed to pay for new driver’s licenses for all involved.

It comes as the Australian Federal Police are creating a new task force to help protect customers affected by the Optus data breach from identity theft.

Operation Guardian, launched by the AFP in conjunction with state and territory forces, will help affected customers and protect Australians from cybercrime.

The more than 10,000 people known to have had their identity documents released during the breach will be given priority by the task force to ensure they do not become victims of financial fraud.

AFP Assistant Commissioner of Cyber ​​Command Justine Gough said investigators will bring justice to those whose personal information has been compromised.

But she admitted that researchers were still determining exactly how many people were affected.

“Customers affected by the breach will receive multiple jurisdictions and layered protection against identity and financial fraud,” she told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

Guardian will focus on monitoring online forums and other internet and dark websites for criminals attempting to misuse the identity information.

“The AFP and law enforcement officers across Australia are taking this crime very seriously,” said Ms Gough.

“Cybercrime is the breakthrough of the 21st century and we encourage all Australians to be extra vigilant about their online safety at this time.”

She urged Australians to report suspicious activity related to bank accounts, not to click on links in text messages and to be wary of phone calls from people claiming to be Optus employees.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Peter Dutton has criticized the government for not introducing new privacy legislation to parliament after the Optus hack.

He said Australians should be ‘white with anger’ after their sensitive information was stolen.

Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said earlier this week that the government aims to pass legislation to the lower house by the end of the year.

But this was labeled too slow by the coalition.

“It should have been in parliament this week, the government was aware of this problem,” he told Nine on Friday.

“I think 10 million Australians should be outraged that their information was compromised and that the Home Secretary was missing for three days.”

The opposition has called on the government to release “critical” cybersecurity funding, which is under review along with other industrial grants provided by the former Morrison government.

More than $60 million in cybersecurity training grants have been withheld.

Opposition sector spokeswoman Susan Ley said it was unforgivable to delay funding for the Cyber ​​Security Skills Partnership Innovation Fund.

“Labour has already been forced to withdraw unwarranted political attacks on other initiatives that have supported some of our most critical sectors to increase sovereign capacity – and now this failure to support our cybersecurity industry has weakened our country,” she said.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles labeled the breach as a “wake-up call” for business.