Stolen health phonograph recording for millions of Australians have been publically unloose on the dark web following a scourge by hackers 24 hour earlier to do precisely that . Last month , the unknown hacker demand a ransom money from Medibank , a private insurance policy supplier in Australia , which the company reject to pay .
The cyber-terrorist , who claim to have spent a month rummaging around Medibank ’s system of rules , have post what they ’ve call “ naughty ” and “ skillful ” lists of wellness records , with the “ naughty ” list admit people who ’ve sought treatment for things like addiction and eating disorders . And they exact they ’ve only started releasing the stolen info .
The hackers have also published emails they ship and received with Medibank while negotiating over the ransom . The emails , if they ’re authentic , show the drudge refusing to name themselves except to say they ’re with an “ affiliate mathematical group . ” Security researchers have dubbed the groupBlogXX , which is a fond name of the Allium cepa reference where the steal datum has been publish . Oddly enough , the domain used to be bleed by the Russian - basedREvil ransomware gang , though it ’s not exonerated if some of the hackers are the same .
Part of the message sent by a ransomware gang researchers have dubbed BlogXX which may have links to REvil.Screenshot: BlogXX
In one of the e-mail exchanges print by the hacker , a representative from Medibank involve how they recognise the hackers will in reality delete the datum if they pay the ransom .
“ We are doing business , even if it is not legal , and we are worried about our reputation . This is the paint to payment , ” the reply from the hackers read .
“ We are concerned in get money , not destroying your company , ” the hackers continue .
The dark web site hosting stolen Medibank data with a message from the hackers (redactions made by Gizmodo)Screenshot: BlogXX
Whatever their intention , these hackers have now put out information that could be used to demolish the life of regular people who may be fight with any kitchen range of mental wellness and addiction issues . Medibank decline to gloss on the authenticity of the images posted by the hackers in an email to Gizmodo on Wednesday morning .
To make thing even more perplexing , Medibank did n’t havecyber insurance , despite being an insurance ship’s company . The company is on the sweetener to lose ten-spot of millions of clam , according to some estimate , and there are already causa being prepared .
The thieves first publish a threat in October to releasesensitive data , including elaborate health selective information , that would include notable people in Australia , include politicians , histrion , and activists . The terror was in confused English , leading many people to assume the hackers are not from an English - speaking res publica . The hacker even import the metropolis of Sydney as “ Sidney ” in their email exchange with Medibank .
While Medibank has about 3.9 million current customer , the hack data point includes information on about 10 million victims because it also includes former customers , accord to Australia’sABC News . The data has n’t made its way to the exposed web yet , with the only way to enter the entropy being the so - called benighted WWW .
“ Like millions of other Australians , my family was caught up in the Medibank breach & today we ’re learning our personal data is on the dark vane . Our worst data breach incubus are playing out in material time , as our existing practice of law & data tribute scheme are no lucifer for hackers , ” David Shoebridge , a Senator with the Australian Greens political political party , tweeted onWednesday .
Medibank has received criticism for its slow response to the hack , even ab initio announcing that while there may have been a rift , the insurance society did n’t believe hackers were capable to steal sensitive selective information . That ferment out to be horribly wrong .
Australia is a wealthy res publica with plenty of resources for matter like cybersecurity , but folks down under have clamber with protecting sensitive datum for age now , partly due to a brain drainpipe in the tech sphere that sees skilled workers head overseas for good salary . This year has been peculiarly forged for Australia , with other gamey - visibility data larceny like the recent breach of telecom goliath Optus .
“ I just want to thank @medibank . So far I have not had a unmarried bit of advice or information from them about the hacking of my family ’s private wellness data . We ’ve been pay off their exhorbitant premiums for 20 years FFS . bad than @Optus and that ’s saying something , ” one client wrote onTwitter .
Australian Federal Police ( AFP ) , the rough eq of the FBI in the U.S. , apply a press conference onWednesdayabout what ’s it ’s dubbed Operation Guardian , boost anyone who may be contacted in the future with blackmail threat to amount forward .
“ To the client impacted by this late breach , please do not be mortified to contact police through ReportCyber if a individual contact you online , by phone or by SMS threatening to release your datum unless payment is made , ” AFP assistant commissioner for Cyber Command , Justine Gough , said in a statement publishedonline .
“ Blackmail is an offence and those who abuse steal personal information for financial profit face a penalty of up to 10 years ’ imprisonment . Operation Guardian will be actively monitoring the clear , dark and deep web for the sales agreement and distribution of Medibank Private and Optus data , ” Gough continued .
Computer securityHacker cultureSecurity
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