No replacement of passport needed for those affected in cyberattack, says Optus

AUSTRALIA’s Optus will no longer need to pay to replace the passports of Australians affected by its recent major cyberattack, which resulted in a leak of the personal identification data of some 2.1 million of its 9.8 million customers.

The Singtel : Z74 0%-owned telco on Friday (Oct 14) said that customers whose passport numbers were exposed in its recent cyberattack would not need to replace their passports.

The statement comes following discussions with the Australian government, which previously confirmed that Optus would pay for the replacements after demands from the federal government.

In its latest statement, Optus said the Australian government has been working with the company to safeguard customers from the possibility of identity crime. This includes providing advice on actions impacted customers should take, if any.

Singtel ended flat at S$2.48 on Thursday.