A threat actor has leaked Toyota customer data on a dark web forum. The files shared by the hackers contained 240GB of data, including contacts, financial information, emails, and more.
The company acknowledged the breach but later retracted it, claiming it was not a data breach and that the data had been stolen from a third party posing as Toyota.
Below, we’ll provide more details about the security incident and tips on how to protect yourself from being targeted by hackers.
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A person driving a Toyota car (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
What you need to know about breaches
A group of hackers calling themselves the Zero Seven Group claimed on dark web forums that they had stolen 240GB of data from Toyota, including employee, customer, contract and financial details. Bleeping ComputerThe company also said it used ADRecon, an open source tool that retrieves large amounts of data from Active Directory systems, to gather network infrastructure information and credentials.
“We hacked the US branch of one of the largest car manufacturers in the world (Toyota). We are very happy to release the files here for free. Data size is 240GB,” the threat actor claimed.
The hackers specifically claimed to have access to everything, including contacts, financial data, customer information, plans, employee details, photos, databases, network infrastructure, emails, and “vast amounts of complete data.”
It’s unclear exactly when the breach occurred, but Bleeping Computer discovered that the files were stolen, or at least created, on December 25, 2022. This lines up with a data breach around the same time that hit Toyota subsidiary Toyota Financial Services (TFS). At the time, the company warned customers that their data had been compromised. However, it has not been confirmed whether the two incidents are related.
Hackers claim to have stolen data from Toyota on dark web forums (Computer beeps)
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Toyota’s response
“We are aware of the situation. The issue is limited in scope and is not a system-wide issue,” Toyota said when asked by Bleeping Computer to confirm the hacker’s claims. The company also said it was “working with those affected and will provide assistance as needed.”
But the next day, a spokesperson told the site that Toyota Motor North America’s systems had “not been intruded or accessed unauthorizedly” and that the data had been stolen from a believed “third party posing as Toyota.”
The spokesman declined to name the third party that was breached, saying Toyota Motor North America “There is no right to disclosure“ That information.
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Illustration of a hacker at work (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
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Scope and impact
The leaked data reportedly includes:
- Customer and employee personal information
- Financial Records and Contracts
- Network infrastructure details
- Email and Internal Communications
With 240GB of data exposed, the potential impact on individuals and businesses could be enormous.
Timing and Detection
The files appear to have been created or stolen on December 25, 2022, suggesting there was a significant delay in their detection or disclosure. This delay is concerning as it may have provided the attackers with ample opportunity to exploit the stolen information.
Security Incident Patterns
The breach is not an isolated incident for Toyota, which has faced multiple security challenges in recent years.
- Ransomware attack on Toyota Financial Services in 2023
- Cloud misconfiguration exposes vehicle location data of 2.15 million customers over 10 years
- Cloud service misconfiguration exposes customer data for over seven years
These recurring issues suggest potential systemic weaknesses in Toyota’s cybersecurity infrastructure and practices.
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Impact on the industry
The automotive industry is an increasingly attractive target for cybercriminals, and this incident highlights the need for strong security measures, especially as cars become more connected and data-driven.
4 ways to protect yourself in light of Toyota’s security incident
Below are some ways to protect yourself after a Toyota breach.
1. Enable two-factor authentication. Activation Two-factor authentication (2FA) is enabled on all accounts tied to Toyota services, including email, financial accounts, and customer portals. It adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter a second piece of information, such as a code sent to your mobile phone, in addition to your password when logging in. This makes it much harder for hackers to access your accounts, even if your password is compromised. Enabling 2FA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access and better protects sensitive data in light of the Toyota breach.
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2. Use the personal data deletion service: Consider investing in a personal data removal service that specializes in continuously monitoring and deleting your personal information from various online databases and websites. We mentioned above that hackers also steal identities to verify your data. These identities can be used in more ways than you might think, including identity theft. Check out my recommendations for data deletion services here.
3. Monitor your financial accounts: Regularly check your bank statements, credit card transaction histories and Toyota Financial Services accounts for suspicious transactions. If you notice anything unusual, report it to your bank or financial institution immediately.
4. Beware of phishing scams: Following such a violation, Phishing scams Be wary of emails or messages that ask for personal information or entice you to click on suspicious links. Verify the identity of the sender before responding to any such communication.
The best way to protect yourself from clicking on malicious links is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices, which will also warn you about phishing emails and ransomware scams. We’ve handpicked the winners of the best antivirus protection of 2024 for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
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Important points about the cart
In light of this data breach, it’s clear that data security is a major concern for both companies and their customers. Whether the breach occurred directly at Toyota or through a third-party organization, the fact remains that sensitive information has been exposed and individuals are at risk. This is a reminder of the importance of remaining vigilant, protecting your accounts with tools like two-factor authentication, and regularly monitoring your financial activity for signs of suspicious behavior.
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