Arrogant Russian hackers demand an eyewatering ransom amount to stop leaking data of Medibank’s 9.7million customers – as they release list of names titled ABORTIONS
- Hackers issue new ransom demand to Medibank to protect customers’ data
- Demanded $AUD15million from health insurer in chilling post on dark web
- Comes day after hackers began releasing personal info of Medibank customers
- Released details of customers’ medical procedures, including abortions
- Aussies warned to be vigilant and to not give into ransom threats from scammers
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Russian hackers have renewed their demand for a ransom from Medibank as more extremely private information of Australians is released.
In a message posted to the dark web early Thursday, the hackers demanded $US10million – the equivalent of more than $AUD15million.
In a brazen offer, the hackers also said Medibank could negotiate down to $US9.7million, amounting to $1 for every affected customer.
The ransom demand comes as the hackers revealed they would continue to publish sensitive details of customers’ medical procedures.
‘Added one more file abortions.csv …,’ the post said.
‘Society ask us about ransom, it’s a 10 millions usd. We can make discount 9.7m 1$=1 customer.’
9.7 million Australians are on edge as Medibank hackers released new personal data
Tech expert Trevor Long revealed on Thursday he’d made contact with the alleged hackers.
‘I simply asked what was the ransom demand,’ Mr Long told the Today show.
‘It’s something we don’t know, as a Medibank customer or just generally the public, we never knew what the ransom demand was.
‘Their response was quite simple: check the blog.’
He urged Australians to remain vigilant and to not give into ransom threats from scammers.
‘If you get an email suggesting they know something about you and that they may share it with your family, friends or employer, you may be scared into handing over money,’ Mr Long said.
‘But you need to understand that there is no value in handing over a ransom, because they will just ask you for more money.’
Alleged hackers issued a fresh threat (pictured) to Medibank on Thursday morning
The latest threat comes a day after hackers began releasing Medibank data on the dark web under ‘good-list’ and ‘naughty-list’.
The first wave included names, birthdates, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, health claims information, Medicare numbers for Medibank’s ahm customers and passport numbers for international student clients.
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‘The files appear to be a sample of the data that we earlier determined was accessed by the criminal,’ Medibank confirmed on Wednesday.
‘We expect the criminal to continue to release files on the dark web.’
Medibank confirmed details of almost 500,000 health claims have been stolen, along with personal information, after the unnamed group hacked into its system weeks ago.
No credit card or banking details were accessed.
The health insurer has warned customers more of their data would be uploaded to the dark web after revealed earlier this week it had rejected hacker demands it pay a ransom in return for the data not being released.
Australian tennis great Todd Woodbridge is one of those who have been targeted.
The 51-year-old, who suffered a mild heart attack last month, got five calls in a row from the same number yesterday.
‘They ended up leaving me a message and the message was that I had bills to pay from the hospital stay that I had,’ he told 3AW.
‘They knew the hospital that I had stayed in and they wanted me to ring back and give me an account number and wanted me to pay over the phone.’
Medibank issued an update to 9.7 million past and present customers on Thursday
Australian Federal Police have ramped up efforts to catch those behind the huge data breach with the expansion of Operation Guardian, which was set up to tackle the recent Optus hack.
‘Of course we are worried, and that’s why we have Operation Guardian in place working with state and territory police to identify members of the community who are at risk to identity fraud,’ AFP Assistant Commissioner Cyber Command Justine Gough said.
‘If members of the community feel they are at imminent risk they should contact triple zero immediately.’
Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neil told parliament on Wednesday the government had been preparing for the data to be published for a number of weeks.
‘The actions of the national coordination mechanism to prepare for what is taking place are extensive,’ she said.
Hackers have started to release the medical histories and procedures of Medibank customers, including abortions
‘It includes placing protective security around government data, state police working with affected individuals, the organisation of mental health support and counselling and putting in place management plans around people who have some very specific vulnerabilities.’
Ms O’Neil called on social media companies in particular to ensure their platforms aren’t used to publish stolen information.
‘If you do so, you will be aiding and abetting the scumbags who were at the heart of these criminal acts, and I know you would not do that to your own country and its citizens,’ she said.
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