Personal SMS messages of Telstra customers were sent to random recipients on competing networks across Australia on Thursday afternoon in a huge potential security breach for the telco.
Unwitting phone users across Australia took to Twitter to express confusion about receiving random SMS messages from about 3pm.
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Fire causes Telstra outage
A Chatswood Exchange fire causes headaches for Telstra customers across Australia.
"I could have broken this guy's deal wide open," said Twitter user @IggyBusby, on receiving details of someone's business strategy that included the phrases "hold off on the" and "still in discussions with" .
I could have broken this guy's deal wide open lol RT @JustJen64: @Telstra WOW LOTS OF ISSUES THERE TELSTRA ...
— Iggy Busby (@IggyBusby) February 2, 2017
PRIVACY ISSUES FOR ONE.. pic.twitter.com/Uh5v8BG8uL
Other users received similarly perplexing messages.
I am a Virgin/Optus customer and am getting heaps of texts "from" Telstra meant for other people. @Telstra_news
— Sophie Benjamin (@sophbenj) February 2, 2017
From unkn number, @Telstra outage causing some curious crossed wires. I hope this person gets the trifle they crave in time for tomorrow... pic.twitter.com/JhRzT7XKg1
— Anna Riddell (@a_r_riddell) February 2, 2017
Many online services rely on SMS messaging to deliver critical confidential information such as new pin numbers and links for resetting passwords, including banking and email services.
Thirty per cent of customers were affected, Telstra chief executive Andy Penn said.
Telstra shut down its text messaging service when it realised SMS messages were being misdirected. Investigations into how the privacy breach occurred were ongoing, Mr Penn said.
The glitch occurred after a fire broke out at the Chatswood Exchange in Sydney some time after midday, damaging power equipment.
"There's not much we can do about a fire occurring," Mr Penn said.
@owenbrandt Fire at the Chatswood Exchange has damaged power equipment. Customers’ service are impacted. More updates to come.
— Telstra (@Telstra) February 2, 2017
Users on website www.aussieoutages.com complained of outages of landline, mobile and NBN services from Australia's biggest telecommunications company.
The outage map on the site indicated that all states and territories were affected.
Businesses were also affected by the outage, including Jetstar and Circus Royale.
Some flights disrupted due to @Telstra outage. 9 AU flights delayed ~45mins; check-in for some flights paused; some ports manual check-in.
— Jetstar Airways (@JetstarAirways) February 2, 2017
Due to #Telstra outage we are experiencing problems with our phones. Please try again later or book online https://t.co/ynwWAlNFgr
— Circus Royale (@CircusRoyale) February 2, 2017
Telstra customers took to Twitter and websites from 1.11pm to express their grievances over outages, which included mobile, landline and internet services.
Rubbish service... why does this always happen #Telstra
— Zoki 87 (@Zoko87) February 2, 2017
Some exec's at #Telstra busy working on #alternativefacts about the fire at the Chatswood exchange
— Greenie (@Aussie_Greenie) February 2, 2017
Another mass @Telstra outage in #Adelaide. No calls in, no calls out. #herewegoagain
— Rhett Burnie (@RhettBurnie) February 2, 2017
Fire may not be the fault of @Telstra but service outages are really disappointing. How can loss of one exchange have such impact? #telstra
— Cameron Glover (@cameronjglover) February 2, 2017
When your business relies on a #telstra residential connection, and you haven't read their SLA/Restoration guide.. that.
— Steve (@JarOfSteve) February 2, 2017
In an unrelated incident, the official website for the Australian Taxation Office crashed on Thursday morning.
At 3.09pm, Telstra announced services were beginning to return to normal.
Services are beginning to restore. Thanks for your patience.
— Telstra (@Telstra) February 2, 2017
About 3.25pm, Jetstar announced its systems were back online after manual check-in was used at several airports during the outage.
The incident follows a fire last year at another exchange in Brunswick, Melbourne, caused by faulty wiring.
While customers were offered compensation in the form of "free data days" after last year's incident, Mr Penn said there were no plans to offer compensation to customers after Thursday's outage.
Do you know more? Contact Richard McLeish here.
With Broede Carmody
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