Volkswagen (VW), owner of more than a dozen automotive brands — including Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche — was reportedly hacked, and data was compromised from some 3.3 million people in the U.S. and Canada, CNN reported on Friday (June 11).
The breach revealed personal details, like drivers’ license numbers, email addresses and phone numbers — and, in some instances, Social Security numbers. The company reached out to some 90,000 U.S. customers and car buyers, mostly from Audi, and is extending free credit protection to those who had sensitive data exposed.
The data, which was stolen from an outside vendor that VW, Audi and some of their dealers use, was gathered between 2014 and 2019. The information had been collected and saved for marketing purposes, according to VW (VLKPF), and had been left in an unsecured file. VW did not name the vendor.
“We regret any inconvenience this may cause our current or potential customers,” VW USA said in a statement. “As always, we recommend that individuals remain alert for suspicious emails or other communications that might ask them to provide information about themselves or their vehicles.”
Cyberattacks, in general, are on the rise, in part due to COVID-19. Cybercrime in Europe doubled…
