The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has arrested a 19-year-old teen from Sydney for allegedly trying to leverage the info leaked following the Optus knowledge breach late final month to extort victims.
The suspect is claimed to have carried out a textual content message blackmail rip-off, demanding that the recipients switch $2,000 to a checking account or threat getting their private info misused for fraudulent actions.
The supply of the info, the company mentioned, was a pattern database of 10,200 data that was posted briefly on a cybercrime discussion board accessible on the clearnet by an actor named “optusdata,” earlier than taking it down.
Particulars of the rip-off had been beforehand shared by 9News Australia reporter Chris O’Keefe on September 27, 2022.
The AFP additional mentioned it executed a search warrant on the residence of the offender, resulting in the seizure of a cell phone used to ship the textual content messages to about 93 Optus prospects. “At this stage it seems not one of the people who acquired the textual content message transferred cash to the account,” it famous.
The unnamed particular person has been charged with utilizing a telecommunication community with the intent to commit a severe offense and coping with identification info. Each the fees are punishable by a most penalty of imprisonment for 10 and seven years, respectively.
The arrest comes as Optus, earlier this week, confirmed that the breach impacted almost 2.1 million of its present and former prospects, exposing their license numbers and Medicare ID numbers.
The event additionally follows the launch of Operation Guardian by the legislation enforcement company to determine the affected 10,200 people and monitor web boards for risk actors trying to take advantage of the launched info for monetary profit.
Additionally arrange within the aftermath of the breach is Operation Hurricane, which goals to unmask the risk actor chargeable for the breach.
