News: MPL UPDATE 1-Australia's Medibank says hacker leaked customer data on dark web

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Nov 8 (Reuters) - Medibank Private Ltd (MPL) , Australia's biggest health insurer, said on Wednesday some customer personal data believed to have been stolen from its systems has been released by the hacker on a dark web forum.

The leaked data includes names, addresses and phone numbers of its customers, and in the case of some international students, passport numbers. Some health claims data was also released.

Local media has reported the leaked data was posted on a blog linked to ransomware crime group REvil, which has links to Russia.

Australia has lately been hit by a slew of hacking incidents with at least eight companies reporting data breaches since September, compromising data of millions of people and exposing the country's cybersecurity workforce, which experts say is understaffed and overworked.

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FACTBOX-Australia Inc roiled by raft of cyberattacks this year   

TIMELINE-Australia's top health insurer reels after data breach

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