Medibank's online services have been restored following a period of downtime over the weekend to implement new safety measures.
After a data hack in October affected 9.7 million consumers, this was done to strengthen its resilience.
Maintenance Interruptions
According to ZDNET's report, the Australian insurance company brought its computer networks down for "maintenance" work, which included Microsoft's IT security consultants.
The implementation was completed at Medibank's Melbourne headquarters.
The business stated that the operation has been in the planning phases for many weeks because of the complexity of the repair operations and the huge obligation to take down the systems.
It was also said that on Saturday, Dec. 10, ahead of schedule, all customer-facing platforms were tested, and IT systems were brought back online with improved security safeguards.
Medibank's retail locations and contact centers remained closed until Monday, although the company's website and mobile applications were eventually restored and accessible to users.
Added Security Safeguards
Since the data breach was reported, which was on Oct. 12, the Australian company said it had seen no signs of unusual activity inside its systems.
Since the incident, it has introduced a number of security precautions, such as requiring two forms of identification from consumers calling in for help and enhancing its detection and forensics capabilities.
Furthermore, it enhanced analytical skills by employing outside consultants.
Is The Case Closed
In a report by TechCrunch more than a week ago, what seems to be the remainder of the data taken from Medibank was revealed by the hackers.
On Dec. 1, hackers who may be affiliated with the Russian-backed REvil ransomware group updated its dark web blog with the message: "Happy Cyber Security Day!!! Added folder full. Case closed."
All remaining data from the data breach was apparently stored in six zipped folders.
No new files have been uploaded on the site since Dec. 1. Nevertheless, Medibank stated it is currently analyzing the contents.
Prior to this, the hackers released information in batches along with ransom demands. However, it was already announced that Medibank would not be making any ransom payments.
Clare O'Neil, Australia's Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security, once said that the country is investigating whether new laws are needed to prohibit ransom payments in the wake of major data breaches at Medibank and Optus.
Related Article: Australia Tightens Surveillance of Medibank After Recent Data Leak
Data Breach Incident
Names, birthdates, phone numbers, and email addresses were among the sensitive information compromised in the security breach that occurred in October.
It impacted 9.7 million active and inactive clients, including 1.8 million individuals from other countries.
Some clients' health claims information was also accessed, including service locations, diagnosis and treatment codes, and patient demographics.
Claims related to abortion, mental health, and alcohol abuse were also published.
The insurance provider has set up a central hub on the web where affected customers may get information and referrals to a wide range of mental health and related services.
