Telstra chair takes aim at Optus' security critics

Telstra chair John Mullen and new CEO Vicki Brady have offered support to Optus in their addresses to the carrier’s annual general meeting. 

Optus has faced strong and repeated criticism from federal government ministers, particularly from cyber security minister Clare O’Neil, minister for government services Bill Shorten, and prime minister Anthony Albanese.

After highlighting how volatile geopolitics “has changed the threat landscape and increased the demands on our cyber defences and strategic supply chains”, Mullen offered solidarity to Optus.

“May I just say that it is easy for third parties to be critical of companies who have suffered devastating cyber-attacks such as happened recently to Optus," Mullen said.

“Let me be blunt, however, and say that it is easy to be critical when it isn’t you in the firing
line, and we should all avoid hubris because no-one can be complacent and no organisation can ever be 100 percent sure that it is completely protected and safe.

“The threat and sophistication of the attackers grows every day,” Mullen added, “and to address the threat business needs to put aside competitive rivalry, and work constructively across industries, with government, and with the community to protect Australia from this modern scourge.”

Brady highlighted the honeypot created by the amount of data government requires companies to collect and retain about their customers.

“With a growing number of these cyber attacks some of our customers are asking us what ID documents we keep, for how long, and for what reason," Brady said.

"These are all fair questions and people are right to be asking them.

“Like many companies we are subject to multiple pieces of legislation and rules in relation to retaining our customers’ ID data.

"We collect it and fiercely protect it through our cyber security capabilities.

“But we agree the time is right for a discussion on the laws around keeping data.” 

She said identifying customers, protecting them against fraud, maintaining their privacy, and helping law enforcement is “a fine balance”.

“Given advances in technology and the broader work being done on trusted digital identity I
think that balance is achievable, and we look forward to working with the government on it,” Brady said.

Reiterating the need to protect Telstra’s networks and platforms, Brady said the carrier is “blocking unprecedented levels of malicious activity from reaching our customers, including calls and SMS, while at the same time helping our customers to protect themselves and their businesses.”