Volkswagen Group’s Data Breach Exposed Over 800,000 EV Customers’ Information

The mere thought that our personal information from a car company’s database can be spooky enough, let alone it happening eight hundred thousand times. However, this is the scenario of Volkswagen Group, whose data breach and poor configuration of data resulted in the exposure of over 800,000 EV customers’ information.

According to Chaos Computer Club, the data remained in the publicly accessible platform for months. This breach showed the precise GPS location of its users and contact information. Volkswagen’s software subsidiary, Cariad, contained accurate personal data that was synced with Amazon’s cloud facility but poorly configured. This gap left a loophole for free access to private customer information. The vulnerable customers included ordinary people, high-profile executives, and government workers who faced malicious risks if not reported.

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The pattern of data breaches is not limited to Volkswagen. Kia was also informed about a similar security flaw that could have compromised the personal information of millions. Ferrari, BMW, and Porsche are more brands that have come under intense public scrutiny due to their inadequate customer security systems.

This breach shed light on the reliability of data privacy in the automotive sector. As a SOC service provider, Secucenter finds the need to protect data and information across platforms and sectors with not just one but multiple cybersecurity shields.