SA start-up Trax Print claims to have developed tech that could prevent another Optus-style hack
A South Australian start-up claims to have developed technology that would protect individuals’ personal data and save billions of dollars in identity fraud.
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A South Australian start-up company claimed to have developed technology that would prevent another Optus-style hacking scandal and save billions of dollars in identity fraud.
Using military-grade encryption, Trax Print claims that its pioneering QR codes help protect valuable documents from criminals and ensure stolen personal data becomes “worthless”.
Its founders, who launched the company after being a victim of identity fraud, use the code to protect to driver’s licence, passport, birth certificate, Medicare cards or immigration papers.
Company chief technology officer Robert Ablinger, said a specialised app alerts a user if a document is being scanned by a third party such as a bank, credit agency or retail outlet.
If suspicious, the user can immediately suspend their ID, which he said makes the hack worthless.
“We could instantly reissue the … code on each ID for every victim and it would be secure,” he said.
“Then this hack and others like it will mean nothing. We would make the data valueless.
“If the ID owner is unaware of the document being used, they can contact the authorities or suspend the document via a link on the notification email they receive.
“If they suspend the ID this notifies the scanning party that the document in question is suspected of being stolen.
“This places more power back to the people giving them the ability to protect their own ID.”
He and his wife, Robyn, established the company in the western suburbs home at West Lakes after having their signature forged by a former colleague.
Mr Ablinger, a computer programmer by trade, said the app would cost the state government $1m a year to administer – a small cost compared to the billions of dollars lost to identity fraud.
His company have held talks with federal agencies and hope the state government would look to implement its idea.
“We were victims ourselves but we could help solve this issue,” he said. “We thought if it happened to us, it was happening to others.
He said it would take a hacker 17 billion years to get gain full access to the QR code.
The Optus cyberattack involved hackers stealing at least 9.8 million customers’ personal information.
More than 37,000 Medicare details have been compromised, including almost 15,000 active numbers.
SA-Best Upper House MP Frank Pangallo said it was “tried, proven and accepted technology that can help fight the war against identity fraud”.
“You need look no further than the recent Optus hack to see the anger, frustration and concern it can cause millions of people,” he said.
“Sadly, identity fraud shows no signs of abating – in fact, it’s getting worse.
“Which makes the lack of interest from the federal government and state governments in Australia in the TraxPrint technology all the more baffling.”
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Originally published as SA start-up Trax Print claims to have developed tech that could prevent another Optus-style hack
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