Tesla Data Breach: Top Cybersecurity News from August 2023
Welcome to our weekly dose of trending cyber stories across industries. So what are the top cybersecurity highlights from the third week of August?
Tesla has finally uncovered the threat actors behind its May data breach that put the company under major scrutiny. We’ve also seen a new wave of ransomware attacks, and disruptions in the higher education sector. Here are this week’s top stories:
Tesla’s Data Breach Traced to Former Employees
Tesla has identified two of its former employees as the culprits behind a data breach that compromised the personal information of over 75,000 individuals. The alleged employees misappropriated confidential information and violated Tesla’s IT security and data protection policies. In response, Tesla has taken legal action against these individuals. The leaked data contained details of both former and current Tesla employees. Although there hasn’t been any identified misuse of personal data, Tesla is offering complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft resolution services to the affected parties. The breach unveiled over 2,400 complaints about self-acceleration issues and 1,500 complaints about braking problems from 2015 to March 2022.
Tesla’s May data breach impacted more than 75,000 people, included employee-related records and was a result of “insider wrongdoing” https://t.co/bgy7chttK0
— Bloomberg (@business) August 20, 2023
Seiko Faces Ransomware Attack
The renowned Japanese watchmaker, Seiko, recently fell victim to a cyberattack by the BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware gang. Seiko, boasting an impressive annual revenue of over $1.6 billion and employing around 12,000 individuals, disclosed the breach earlier this month. The company revealed that unauthorized entities had accessed a portion of its IT infrastructure, potentially exfiltrating data. Seiko’s internal investigation confirmed the breach, and they have since cautioned their customers and business partners to be wary of any suspicious communications. The BlackCat group has taken responsibility for the attack, mocking Seiko’s IT security and leaking sensitive data, including production plans, employee passport scans, and even confidential technical schematics of Seiko watch designs. This breach could have significant implications, especially if patented technology details are exposed to competitors.
UK’s Critical Infrastructure at Risk from Aussie Cyberattack
Energy One, a leading tech service provider for the energy sector based in Australia, is currently investigating a cyber attack on its systems. There are concerns that some of its UK customers might be affected by this breach. Energy One, which offers software and services to the energy sector, disclosed the attack in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange. The incident began on Friday, 18th August, and was publicly acknowledged on 21st August. The company has since engaged cybersecurity specialists and notified relevant authorities in both Australia and the UK. Energy One has also disconnected several links between its corporate and customer systems to prevent further spread. Notably, some of the company’s UK clientele includes Good Energy, SSE, and Yorkshire Gas and Power. The potential impact on critical national infrastructure (CNI) operators is alarming, especially considering the devastating effects of disruptions to essential services.
University of Missouri Hit by MOVEit Ransomware
The University of Missouri System has become the latest victim of the widespread MOVEit cybersecurity breach. This system, encompassing four campuses, research parks, and a comprehensive health system, confirmed its involvement in a potential data breach associated with the MOVEit software product. Earlier in May, the ransomware group Cl0P claimed responsibility for a significant cyberattack that targeted numerous organizations, including institutions in higher education. They alleged that they accessed data by exploiting vulnerabilities in MOVEit, a software widely used for file transfers. The breach’s extensive reach is attributed to the software’s use by third-party vendors, many of which have connections to higher education. In the case of the University of Missouri System, third-party vendors involved in enrollment operations and pension processes were implicated. The compromised files might contain data on both current and former students. While some university data has been confirmed as compromised, the full extent remains under investigation.
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