An Australian internet provider has become the latest telco to face a cybersecurity incident, reporting “suspicious activity” within its systems. The company, Vocus, which is the parent company for Dodo and iPrimus, confirmed in a public statement that the breach affected its email and mobile services, impacting approximately 1,600 home internet and mobile customers. This incident places Vocus, the fourth largest provider of the National Broadband Network (NBN), among a growing list of Australian telecommunications companies targeted by cyber attacks.
The cyber incident began on a Friday night, alerting Vocus to the “suspicious activity” in their email system. To contain the problem, the internet provider quickly suspended its email services in a bid to rectify the issue and investigate the extent of the unauthorized access. The swift action was taken to prioritize security and prevent further compromise while the company’s teams worked around the clock to address the breach.
Vocus’s initial investigation revealed unauthorized access to the 1,600 email accounts, which subsequently led to unauthorized SIM swaps on 34 Dodo Mobile accounts. A company spokesperson confirmed that they have worked directly with the impacted customers to reverse these SIM swaps and continue to monitor the situation closely. The company’s focus remains on providing immediate support to those affected and ensuring the integrity of their services.
By Sunday morning at 7am, Vocus had successfully restored email services to its customers. However, as a security precaution, customers were instructed to contact their service provider to change their passwords. The company is offering additional support to its customers through IDCare and continues to update customers on the situation via their website and social media channels. Vocus has publicly apologized for the inconvenience caused by the temporary suspension of email services.
Vocus is a significant player in the Australian telecommunications landscape, holding 9.2 per cent of the NBN market share, trailing only Telstra, TPG, and Optus. An ACCC report from June estimated that Dodo and iPrimus collectively serve around 804,000 NBN customers in the country. This large customer base highlights the potential scale and seriousness of the recent security breach and the need for robust cybersecurity measures across the entire sector.
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