Optus says it will commission Deloitte to perform an independent external examination of the recent data breach and its security systems.
Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin recommended the move which was supported unanimously by the Singtel board.
International professional services firm Deloitte has been called in to conduct a forensic review of the cyber attack along with its security systems, controls and processes.
This comes a day after Optus was accused by the Australian Government of being uncooperative and not complying with requests to help affected customers.
But today Optus was singing a different song with the announcement of an independent inquiry.
This mirrors what electronics giant Samsung did in the wake of its Galaxy Note7 smartphone recall.
At that time, Samsung appointed two independent investigators to run alongside its own investigations.
Ms Bayer Rosmarin says the forensic review will play a big part in its response to the incident.
“We’re deeply sorry that this has happened, and we recognise the significant concern it has caused many people,” Ms Bayer Rosmarin said.
“While our overwhelming focus remains on protecting our customers and minimising the harm that might come from the theft of their information, we are determined to find out what went wrong.”
“This review will help ensure we understand how it occurred and how we can prevent it from occurring again.
“It will help inform the response to the incident for Optus. This may also help others in the private and public sector where sensitive data is held and risk of cyberattack exists.
“I am committed to rebuilding trust with our customers and this important process will assist those efforts.”
