Chinese Contractor for Australia’s AMP Charged with Stealing Customer Data, According to Reuters

SYDNEY – A Chinese contractor working for Australian financial planning firm AMP Ltd has been charged with stealing confidential data belonging to 20 customers, according to police and the company.

The individual, identified by authorities as Yi Zheng, 28, pleaded guilty to the charges in a Sydney court. New South Wales police reported that their investigation was initiated after AMP’s cybersecurity team detected suspicious activity on the company’s network in December.

The inquiry revealed that Yi had downloaded 23 documents related to customer identities and sent them to his personal email account. He was arrested on January 17 while attempting to board a flight to China, at which time authorities confiscated mobile phones, SIM cards, a laptop, and several other electronic storage devices from his belongings.

Yi faces charges for possessing identity information with the intent to commit an indictable offence. However, the police did not disclose what he intended to do with the stolen customer information.

Detective Superintendent Matt Craft from the New South Wales Cybercrime Squad highlighted the value of identity information on the black market and dark web, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding such data for both individuals and businesses.

An AMP representative stated that the breach involved a limited amount of customer data and confirmed that there was no indication that the data had been further compromised. The company has reached out to all affected customers, implemented additional security measures for them, and notified the relevant regulatory authorities.

Yi’s legal counsel has not yet provided a statement regarding the case.