Uber hid cyber-attack that exposed 57 million users

Unpublished
London - Uber failed to disclose a cyberattack that exposed the data of some 57 million combined drivers and passengers — and paid hackers to not release the stolen data. In a statement posted online, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that an October 2016 attack encompassed personal information like names and phone numbers of Uber users worldwide. The names and drivers license numbers of some 600,000 drivers were swept up. He said there was no indication that hackers pilfered especially sensitive information like Social Security numbers, location history or bank account and credit card numbers. Nevertheless, Mr Khosrowshahi said, “None of this should have happened”. “We are changing the way we do business,” said Mr Khosrowshahi, who took over the scandal-plagued company after founder Travis Kalanick was forced out. According to Bloomberg, the hack cost Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan and an associate their jobs because they sought to keep the hack quiet. Part of that effort, Bloomberg reported, included paying the hackers $100,000 to delete pilfered information. A source familiar with the incident confirmed that account. Mr Khosrowshahi confirmed in his statement that “two of the individuals who led the response to this incident are no longer with the company” and echoed questions about why the hack was only now emerging publicly.(FA)

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