MediSecure hack: biggest breach in Australian history

Massive MediSecure Hack Exposes Data Of 12.9 Million Australians

In the biggest hack in Australian history, eScript provider MediSecure has revealed that the personal data of 12.9 million people were stolen. The company added that they were incapable of tracking the customers or notifying them.

In June, the company went into administration and its subsidiary Operations MDS, which was the trading entity, underwent liquidation, after the federal government refused a financial bailout. At present, eRx, is the sole provider of electronic prescriptions, 9News reported.

The affected server comprised a large volume of semi-structured and unstructured data. Identifying each customer and informing them of the hack was not financially viable for the company, MediSecure stated, adding that 6.5 terabytes of data was stolen.

“MediSecure can confirm that approximately 12.9 million Australians are impacted by this incident based on individuals’ healthcare identifiers,” administrators FTI Consulting said in a statement. “However, MediSecure is unable to identify the specific impacted individuals despite making all reasonable efforts to do so due to the complexity of the data set.”

MediSecure publicized the incident in May without disclosing the extent of the data breach. A sample of the data has been published on the dark web, reported ABC News.

In a statement, the company listed the data stolen included personal details such as full names, phone numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, Medicare numbers, and Medicare card expiry dates, and medication details.

Authorities have warned the people from going online to check the data breach. Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness, who was appointed as National Cyber Security Coordinator in February, said, “I understand many Australians will be concerned about the scale of this breach. This activity only feeds the business model of cyber criminals and can be a criminal offence.”