Origin investigates cyberattack affecting 900,000 customers
Australian energy company Origin Energy says the personal information of approximately 900,000 current and former customers was accessed in a cybersecurity incident, as the company continues its investigation with government authorities, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
Origin CEO Frank Calabria apologized to affected customers, saying the company had completed the initial phase of its review.
"To our customers, I am sorry. We don't take for granted the trust customers place in Origin and our safeguarding of their information," Calabria said.
He added that notifying and supporting affected customers is the company's top priority.
"We are working with cyber security and forensic specialists to ensure the incident is contained, and we've taken a number of steps to secure our systems," he said.
According to Origin, the company had been reviewing a potential security threat since early July but initially determined it was not credible. On July 22, new information indicated a possible breach, prompting the company to notify customers and the market.
Calabria said the incident is now a criminal matter under investigation, limiting the amount of information that can be disclosed.
Origin said it is working closely with the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the National Office of Cyber Security, the Australian Federal Police, and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that intelligence agencies from the Five Eyes alliance issued a rare joint warning that advanced artificial intelligence models capable of carrying out sophisticated cyberattacks against governments and businesses could emerge within months.