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Communications giant Telstra has publicly apologised for accidentally leaking personal data of thousands of Australians.
According to local media sources, up to 130,000 subscribers may have been affected by the incident.
The company claimed that the accidental disclosure of some unlisted customers’ names, phone numbers, and addresses was a mistake and not the result of a hostile cyber assault.
“For the customers impacted we understand this is an unacceptable breach of your trust,” Telstra executive Michael Ackland said in a post published online.
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“We’re sorry it occurred, and we know we have let you down.”
Telstra said the issue was due to a “misalignment of databases,” and the company was attempting to remove the information off the web.
In order to combat identity theft, affected clients are being contacted and provided complimentary services.
Ackland said, “We are conducting an internal investigation to better understand how it happened and to protect against it happening again.”
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“Our customer service has come a long way in recent years, including in truth-telling about our mistakes – it is part of what drives us to make change. We acknowledge that we still get it wrong too often and we simply must do better.”
The mismanagement of client data by Telstra follows data breaches at telecommunications company Optus and health insurance Medibank, where inadequate security practices allowed hackers to obtain the data of thousands of consumers.
Clare O’Neil, Minister for Home Affairs, has repeatedly criticised companies for not doing enough to protect customer data, as the government is currently considering stricter measures to crack down on the handling of sensitive information and hackers.
The Optus and Medibank’s mishaps prompted discussions about why businesses were keeping private information for years after it was no longer needed.
Jaw de Guzman is the content producer for Comms Room, a knowledge platform and website aimed at assisting the communications industry and its professionals.
