Orange Faces Criticism Over Cybersecurity Handling
In response to a recent cyber incident, Orange has cautioned its more than 290 million global customers that some services may be impacted, although the company refrained from disclosing specific details about the attack, reports 24brussels.
The company’s management of the situation has drawn sharp rebuke from members of Belgium’s cybersecurity community. Inti De Ceukelaire, chief hacker at the Belgian bug-bounty platform Intigriti, lambasted Orange’s approach in a LinkedIn post, describing it as “very disappointing.” He accused the company of relying on a traditional corporate public relations strategy focused on protecting its brand instead of prioritizing customer safety.
De Ceukelaire criticized Orange for publishing an information page that downplays significant threats like SIM swapping and number theft, while placing the onus on users to be vigilant against phishing attempts. “The company also subsequently downplay[s] the financial compensation claims, stating that damage needs to be proven,” he added.
Another LinkedIn commentator, Koen Gabriels, remarked on the potential financial implications of providing replacement SIM cards, stating, “Sure, providing every affected customer with a new SIM card is expensive and quite the logistical operation, but it would prove to me that they are worthy of storing my data.”
