Second IT contractor charged over LandMark White data breach – Security – Storage

A second IT contractor has been charged in relation to two information breach incidents that wiped $fifty million from the home valuation company formerly known as LandMark White last calendar year.

Detectives from the cybercrime squad arrested a 39-calendar year-old Arncliffe man on Friday as element of an ongoing investigation into the alleged breaches in opposition to the company now known as Acumentis.

The man, who is a computer software contractor, has been charged with unauthorised impairment of digital conversation, which carries a optimum sentence of 10 several years imprisonment. 

The second arrest arrives 9 months just after Stephen Grant, forty nine, was charged for allegedly accessing Acumentis database without having authorisation though used as an IT contractor.

Grant is facing 24 costs for the unauthorised database entry, which exposed extra than 170,000 information records, including own data and valuation records, to the dim net.

Prices consist of eight counts of dealing with identification data to dedicate indictable offence and unauthorised entry with intent to dedicate major indictable offence.

NSW Law enforcement explained the second alleged offender was charged just after subsequent investigations carried out as element of Strike Drive Vide uncovered more data about a fibre cable.

“Officers uncovered data that a actual physical fibre cable, which enabled information transmission concerning two enterprises, was severed at a facility at Ultimo on Sunday 31 March 2019,” it explained.

“Police were explained to that digital conversation utilised by the Australian-centered company was impaired for a 10-day period of time, ensuing in sizeable economical reduction.”

Not like Grant, the second alleged offender has been granted strict conditional bail to seem at Sutherland Local Court docket on August 18.

NSW Law enforcement Cybercrime Squad Commander, Detective Acting Superintendent Gordon Arbinja, explained the offences by the two alleged offenders had a “serious” impression on Acumentis.

“The neighborhood want to know how major these offences are and the impression they can have on hard-doing work Australian enterprises and their staff,” he explained.

“While the exact economical reduction is still to be decided, it is anticipated that nearly $fifty million in blended marketplace funds and earnings reduction can be directed attributed to these offences.”

“In addition, the company incurred a sizeable human cost – getting rid of all-around one hundred thirty staff through deal terminations or redundancies.

“These alleged actions in essence crippled a company – leaving them without having entry to critical information for a sizeable period of time of time.”

Investigations beneath Strike Drive Vide are continuing.

LandMark White rebranded as Acumentis in December just after the information breach incidents cratered shares.