Australia’s Latitude slumps on more evidence of large-scale information theft

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FILE PHOTO: A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo/File Photo

(Reuters) – Fintech firm Latitude Group Holdings said on Wednesday it has found further evidence of large-scale information theft affecting former and current customers across Australia and New Zealand, sending its shares sharply lower.

The Australian digital payments and lending firm said it was attempting to identify the number of customers affected and the type of personal information stolen by the hacker.

“Our focus remains firmly on containing this attack, progressing our forensic review of the actions taken by the attacker and restoring operational capability gradually over the coming days,” the company said in a statement.

Several Australian firms have reported cyberattacks over the past few months, and experts say this is due to an understaffed cybersecurity industry in the country.

Shares of Latitude, which provides consumer finance services to the country’s major retailers Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi, dived 13.7% on trading resumption. The company’s stock last traded on March 15.

Last week, Latitude said personal information of around 328,000 customers, including copies of drivers’ licences, was stolen. It took its platforms offline on Monday and said that the Federal Police was investigating the attack.

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