TPG Telecom said in December 2022 that an attacker had gained unauthorized access to a Hosted Exchange email service used by iiNet and Westnet business customers. Accounts for up to 15,000 business customers were hosted on the service, but TPG’s announcement did not establish that all those accounts were accessed or that financial information was stolen. The company said residential and personal iiNet and Westnet services were not affected.
What happened to iiNet and Westnet business email?
On 14 December 2022, TPG Telecom told the Australian Securities Exchange that its cyber security advisers, Mandiant, had informed it the previous day of evidence of unauthorized access to a Hosted Exchange service. That service hosted email accounts for up to 15,000 iiNet and Westnet business customers, according to TPG’s ASX announcement.
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TPG said Mandiant identified the access during a forensic historical review conducted as part of its ongoing work to assist with cyber protection. Contemporaneous reporting described Hosted Exchange as a Microsoft product operated by iiNet and Westnet to provide email. The incident account does not establish that Microsoft itself was breached.
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TPG’s preliminary analysis indicated that the threat actor’s primary aim appeared to be searching for customers’ cryptocurrency and financial information. That was the company’s early assessment of the actor’s apparent objective, not confirmation that the information was viewed, accessed, or taken.
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TPG said the investigation into the incident and its potential impact was continuing. The contemporaneous accounts do not identify which customers’ information, if any, may have been viewed, or establish whether data was exfiltrated. The available account of this incident does not provide a final forensic finding that resolves those questions.
Were home broadband or mobile customers affected?
No. TPG said the incident did not affect home or personal iiNet or Westnet products, including broadband and mobile. Its announcement described unauthorized access to the business Hosted Exchange email service, not a compromise of residential internet or mobile services.
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What did TPG do?
In its 14 December 2022 announcement, TPG said it had stopped the unauthorized access, implemented additional security measures, begun contacting affected Hosted Exchange customers, and notified relevant government authorities. It said it would communicate with directly affected customers as more information became available.
What should customers do about suspicious messages?
TPG’s current support guidance advises customers not to provide passcodes, passwords, date of birth, addresses, or payment details through links in emails claiming to be from TPG. Its guidance also explains how to report suspicious calls, texts, and emails: TPG’s identify-and-report-scams page. This is general current advice, not a notice of a new action required because of the 2022 event.
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