Hackers release more data after Australian insurance company refuses to pay ransom

ANKARA (AA) – The hackers who stole massive data from an Australian insurance company released additional sensitive details of the customers, claiming that they had demanded $9.5 million as ransom to not release the customer data but the company refused, local media said on Thursday.

In a message on the darkweb, the hackers released additional sensitive details of the customers and said it had demanded $1 for each file of 9.7 million customers, ABC News reported.

Last night, the hackers released 300 more files and details of the company customers on their website.

The data of around 10 million customers, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has been compromised in Australia.

In a statement, Medibank Private Limited, one of the largest Australian private health insurance providers, said they are aware that criminals have released an additional file on a dark web forum containing customer data that is believed to have been stolen from Medibank’s systems.

“The release of this stolen data on the dark web is disgraceful,” said Medibank CEO David Koczkar.

“We take the responsibility to secure our customer data seriously and we again unreservedly apologize to our customers," Koczkar added.

The company asked the media to refrain from downloading the sensitive data of its customers from the dark web or contacting them directly.

“The weaponization of people’s private information in an effort to extort payment is malicious, and it is an attack on the most vulnerable members of our community," Medibank CEO said.

Meanwhile, in another development, the Australian government has decided to provide national security-related training to parliamentarians amid the current security situation in the region

“All parliamentarians are custodians of Australia’s national interest. Our democracy and our country are more robust if parliamentarians are better informed. That’s why our Government is partnering with @NSC_ANU (ANU National Security College) to provide national security-related training to parliamentarians," Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong tweeted.

The Albanese government is making Australia stronger and more influential as we navigate the most challenging strategic circumstances since WWI, she added.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid