A recent report from a German news magazine has revealed a massive Volkswagen leak that left the data of 800,000 electric vehicles exposed for several months. According to Der Spiegel, the months-long data leak exposed the phone numbers, email, and even physical addresses of some drivers. The leak raises questions about the safety of consumer data that companies have been collecting in increasing amounts over the past few years.
Der Spiegel was first notified of the data leak by a whistleblower and the Chaos Computer Club, Europe’s largest association of hackers. The German news magazine says the data leak occurred due to vulnerabilities in the software installed in Volkswagen’s vehicles. This software reportedly granted bad actors the ability to trace the exact movements of Volkswagen drivers.
The leak occurred on a global scale and involved electric vehicle brands under Volkswagen, such as Audi, Skoda, and Seat. Bad actors could use the software to locate and pull driver data stored in Amazon’s cloud storage before linking it to driver names and contact details. In some cases, they could also access data on when drivers switched their electric cars on and off as well as their physical addresses, mobile phone numbers, and email addresses.
Der Spiegel notes that the leak also provided ‘precise’ locations of around 460,000 vehicles, with data on Seat and Volkswagen vehicles being accurate to a whopping 10 centimeters and within 6 miles for Skoda and Audi cars.
Cariad, the Volkswagen subsidiary that developed the vulnerable software, says it has already dealt with the issue and told the German news magazine that sensitive data such as payment details or passwords wasn’t affected and that there was no need for action from Volkswagen customers. Volkswagen and Cariad didn’t respond to requests for a statement.
The Mozilla Foundation once referred to modern cars as a ‘privacy nightmare’ after a study discovered significant privacy concerns resulting from all the consumer data they collect. Vehicles were officially the worst products in terms of privacy, the foundation noted, with 84% of automakers reviewed in the study sharing the consumer data they collect with outside parties and 92% providing drivers with little to no control over their data.
As the global automotive industry phases out internal combustion engine (ICE) cars for electric vehicles, we can expect automakers to collect even more data from consumers. Without robust and ongoing defenses to keep this data safe, data breaches of even larger magnitudes could rock the auto industry in the future.
This situation at VW is likely to be taken as a cautionary tale by major EV industry players like Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) given how grave a leak of this nature could be upon their reputations.
About GreenCarStocks
GreenCarStocks (“GCS”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on electric vehicles (“EVs”) and the green energy sector. It is one of 70+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, GCS is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, GCS brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. GCS is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge.
To receive SMS alerts from GreenCarStocks, text “Green” to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information, please visit https://www.GreenCarStocks.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the GreenCarStocks website applicable to all content provided by GCS, wherever published or re-published: https://www.GreenCarStocks.com/Disclaimer
GreenCarStocks
Los Angeles, CA
www.GreenCarStocks.com
310.299.1717 Office
Editor@GreenCarStocks.com
GreenCarStocks is powered by IBN
Phil Bellamy thought he was doing his family a favor when he switched to an…
Another major smartphone manufacturer may be entering the battery electric vehicle (BEV) segment after both…
Battery-powered vehicles with gasoline backup systems can act as a bridge between gas-powered cars and…
The Trump administration's evident hostility to electric cars will have a major effect on America's…
Ottawa has scrapped its plan requiring automakers to sell emission-free cars as one-fifth of their…
Luxury electric cars in India may soon become more expensive for consumers if an Indian…