Status: 10.11.2022 8:59 AM
After a hacker attack on Australia’s largest health insurance company, patient data has surfaced on the dark web. Criminals released information about abortion and drug addiction treatments.
Hackers have snatched health data from millions of Australian health insurance customers and have now published parts of it on the dark web. Private information about abortion or patient data about treatments such as HIV and drug addiction ended up in the hidden realm of the Internet.
Hackers demanded 6.2 million euros
The hackers are blackmailing the affected health insurance company Medibank. According to their own statements, they are seeking 9.7 million Australian dollars (about 6.2 million euros). The insurance company has so far refused to pay a ransom for the return of the stolen data.
Medibank boss David Kozker called the publication of the data by hackers “outrageous”. Weaponizing people’s personal information to extort money is fraud and an attack on the most vulnerable members of society.
Blackmailers want to publish new data every day
Cyber Security Minister Claire O’Neill said targeting women who had abortions was morally reprehensible. She said that being responsible as a minister as well as being a woman, she wants to tell the affected people that this should not have happened. Blackmailers threaten to publish new data daily if the demands are not met.
Australia’s largest health insurer
Medibank is Australia’s largest private health insurer with approximately 9.7 million customers. Politicians and celebrities are also likely to be affected by data theft. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he himself was a Medibank customer. The hacker attack should be a “wake up call” for Australian companies.
