Origin Says About 900,000 Customers’ Data Accessed in Breach

About 900,000 current and former Origin Energy Ltd. customers had their data accessed in a security breach, the latest in a string of cyberattacks on major Australian companies and essential-service providers.

It began examining a possible threat in early July, but initially determined it was not credible, the energy retailer said in a statement on Tuesday. New information emerged on July 22 indicating a breach may have occurred.

Origin joins a list of prominent Australian businesses hit by major cyber incidents in recent years, including Qantas Airways Ltd., telecommunications provider Singtel Optus Pty Ltd., health insurer Medibank Private Ltd. and ports operator DP World Australia, underscoring the risks to customer data and widely used services.

“We are working with cyber security and forensic specialists to ensure the incident is contained,” Chief Executive Officer Frank Calabria said in the statement. A review into the incident is ongoing, he added.

Origin shares fell 1.1%, underperforming the Australian benchmark’s 0.3% decline as Asia Pacific stocks dropped 3.2%.

Top photo: Power lines run over Neoen’s Victorian Big Battery site in Moorabool, Australia, on Friday, 3 Feb , 2023. Photographer: Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg.