Car rental giant Avis Rent A Car has been hit in the latest cyber attack.
The New Jersey-based company acknowledged that it had discovered an intruder in one of its business applications.
The security incident apparently affected hundreds of thousands of people, with personal information and driver’s license numbers being leaked to hackers.
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Avis rental car vehicle. (Avis)
Cyber attack details
Avis is in the process of notifying about 300,000 people whose personal information and driver’s license numbers were stolen in a cyber attack in August.
“On August 5, 2024, we discovered that a third party had accessed one of our business applications. After becoming aware of the incident, we immediately took steps to prevent the unauthorized access, launched an investigation with the assistance of cybersecurity experts, and notified the relevant authorities,” the company said in a statement. The notice was shared with the Maine Attorney General.“As a result of the investigation, it was determined that the unauthorized access occurred between August 3, 2024 and August 6, 2024,” the company said.
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Avis has not disclosed the nature of the cyberattack, and details of the incident are unclear. The rental car company said the stolen information included customer names, mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, credit card numbers and expiration dates, and driver’s license numbers.
Illustration of a hacker at work. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
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Texas residents most affected
According to a report to the Maine Attorney General, 299,006 people have been affected by the Avis data breach so far. A separate filing from Texas states that 34,592 people have been affected, making Texas the state with the most affected residents.
Avis, which also owns Budget and Zipcar, has more than 10,000 rental locations in 180 countries. The company stores so much customer data that it’s unclear why it didn’t take better measures to protect it from this breach.
Illustration of a hacker typing on a computer. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
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Company response
Upon discovering the unauthorized access on August 5, 2024, the company acted swiftly to contain the intrusion and launched a thorough investigation with external cybersecurity experts. Avis began notifying affected customers, filed data breach notices with various U.S. Attorneys General, and is offering one year of free credit monitoring services to those affected.
Additionally, the company has strengthened its security measures and implemented safeguards across its systems while maintaining transparency regarding the type of information compromised and the timeline of the breach.
However, concerns remain about the adequacy of Avis’ data protection practices and oversight of cybersecurity protocols.
We reached out to Avis for comment but did not hear back by deadline.
6 ways to protect yourself from a data breach
1. Monitor your accounts and transactions. The Avis data breach revealed credit card numbers and expiration dates that hackers could use to steal your money. If you were affected by this data breach, regularly check your online accounts and transactions for suspicious or fraudulent activity. If you notice anything unusual, report it immediately to your service provider or authorities. You should also check your credit report and credit score for signs of identity theft or fraud.
2. Contact your bank or credit card company: Now that the hacker has your bank and credit card information, they may be able to make purchases or withdrawals without your consent. Notify your bank or credit card company of the situation. They may be able to help you freeze or cancel your card, dispute the fraudulent charges, or issue you a new card.
3. Use the personal data deletion service: A breach leaves your personal information publicly available on the internet and available to fraudsters. Consider investing in a personal data removal service that specializes in continuously monitoring and removing your personal information from various online databases and websites. We mentioned above that the hackers also stole your driver’s license, which can be used to verify your data. Your identity can be exploited in more ways than you might think, including identity theft. Check out my recommendations for data deletion services here.
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4. Be careful with mailbox communication: Bad actors may also try to commit fraud through the mail. Data leaks give them access to your address. They may impersonate people or brands you know and use themes that require urgent action, such as delivery delays, account suspensions, and security alerts.
5. Beware of phishing scams: Cybercriminals may send fake emails or messages claiming to be from Avis to trick you into providing more personal information. Don’t click on suspicious links or provide sensitive information unless you’re sure the request is legitimate.
The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that could install malware and access your personal information is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection will also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. We’ve handpicked the winners of the best antivirus protection of 2024 for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
6. Use identity theft protection services: Identity theft companies monitor personal information like Social Security numbers (SSNs), phone numbers, and email addresses to alert you if it’s being sold on the dark web or used to open accounts, and they can also help freeze bank and credit card accounts to prevent further fraud by criminals. Check out our tips and best choices for protecting yourself against identity theft.
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Important points about the cart
Avis is the latest addition to the growing list of companies that have fallen victim to data breaches, putting customer information at risk. This is becoming all too common, and it seems these big companies aren’t learning from what’s happening. What’s clear is that protecting customer data is not their number one priority. Therefore, it’s important to take matters into your own hands. Be careful when clicking links, and consider investing in data removal and identity theft protection services to protect your personal information online.
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