In a recent revelation, Uber has announced that the personal information of its drivers and many of its users was hacked, releasing the private information of over 57 mln individuals to the attackers. The hackers were able to gain access to usernames, names, driver’s license numbers and mobile phone numbers.
The hack occurred in 2016, and the company has hidden the information from the public until now. Instead of reporting the incident, the company chose to pay the hackers $100,000 as ransom in exchange for deleting the data and remaining quiet about the hack. According to a statement by the company:
"At the time of the incident, we took immediate steps to secure the data and shut down further unauthorized access by the individuals. We subsequently identified the individuals and obtained assurances that the downloaded data had been destroyed. We also implemented security measures.”
Mobile wallet risks?
The main risk for cryptocurrency users is the mobile wallet applications. With access to names and phone numbers, hackers could potentially hijack the data on the phone or even reset the phone as a point of access for gaining access to mobile wallets. Recent victims include Chris Burniske, and others, who have had as much as $150,000 stolen.
While no immediate threat is known, Bitcoin holders are suggested to pay close attention to balances accessed on mobile wallets and wait to see if any potentially fraudulent activity is taking place. Further, users are always encouraged to store the majority of the cryptocurrency holdings in offline wallets