Two Massive Hacks Come to Light; Data of Volvo and Cox Compromised

Not everyone relaxed on the weekend. This observation holds for the clients and customers of Volvo and Cox Communications.

These two companies suffered embarrassing breaches that compromised personal information and R&D data.

The latter was pilfered off from Volvo, while the former was unlawfully obtained from Cox.

Let’s look into what these breaches were.

Cox Communications Suffers Breach; Hacker Gains Access Through Impersonation

Cox Communications Suffers Breach

Cox Communications stated that a hacker breached its network by impersonating a support agent. The breach compromised its customers’ personal information.

The company, also known as Cox Cable, is a telecommunications organization whose services range from phone services to cable provisions in the U.S.

The breach came to light after Cox Communications sent letters to its customers stating that the company discovered the breach on October 11, 2021. It further elaborated that ‘unknown person(s)’ escaped detection by impersonation.

Cox Communications didn’t divulge any details on the incident, but it is evident that the hackers employed social engineering tactics to breach the network. The resulting breach compromised the internal systems housing the customers’ information.

“On October 11, 2021, Cox learned that an unknown person(s) had impersonated a Cox agent and gained access to a small number of customer accounts. We immediately launched an internal investigation, took steps to secure the affected customer accounts, and notified law enforcement of the incident,” read the data breach notification, Amber Hall, Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer of Cox Communications.

“After further investigation, we discover that the unknown person(s) may have viewed certain types of information that are maintained in your Cox customer account, including your name, address, telephone number, Cox account number, Cox.net email address, username, PIN code, account security question and answer, and/or the types of services that you receive from Cox.”

As per the revelation, the compromised data included the names, addresses, contact information, Cox account number, PIN code, and account security questions with answers. In summation, the breach is quite severe. Cox Communications didn’t divulge if financial information was compromised. However, they advised their customers to keep a weather eye on their financial accounts and update their passwords for the accounts that share the same passcode as the Cox customer accounts.

The affected customers stand to get a one-year Experian IdentityWorks plan for free. The tool helps detect fraudulent activity and oversee credit reports.

The company has stated that they have reported the incident to the authorities and that the affected customers are small in number.

“The security of the services we provide to customers is a top priority. A recent security incident impacted a small number of customer accounts. We promptly launched an investigation and took steps to secure the affected accounts and have implemented additional security controls to further safeguard their information. We are working with law enforcement and have notified all impacted customers.” – Cox.

What the customers of Cox should do is change their passwords immediately. This attack also underscores how important it is to be cautious when one gets emails asking for credentials.

Also, enable 2-factor authentication as this authentication makes it tough for the hackers to make away with the information. And, as advised by Cox, monitor the financial accounts for any unusual activity.


Also Read: Over 1 Million Devices Infected in Russian Botnet Attack: Warns Google


Volvo Suffers Data Breach, R&D Data Disclosed

Volvo Data Breach, R&D Data Disclosed

In a shocking turn of events, the famous automaker Volvo Cars suffered a cybersecurity breach recently. According to the announcement made by the Swedish car manufacturer, the malicious actors gained access to the company’s research and development (R&D) data.

“Limited amount of the company’s R&D property has been stolen during the intrusion,” said the company. The hackers allegedly accessed one of the company’s file repositories.

“Despite the limited amount, there may be an impact on the company’s operation,” said Volvo Cars.

Based on the preliminary investigation by Volvo, the cybercriminals were targeting the company’s R&D data, but not customer information.

“We do not see, with currently available information, that this has an impact on the safety or security of its customers’ cars or their personal data,” said Volvo.

However, the automaker has not revealed any further information on the size of the breach or what was stolen.

The company, which acknowledged the data breach, deployed security countermeasures to prevent further access to its property. It also notified relevant legal authorities. Moreover, Volvo has roped in a third-party cyber expert to investigate the data breach.

The media outlet Inside-it was the first to report the data breach after it found a screenshot of Volvo’s data released on the website of a ransomware gang called Snatch.

The Volvo data breach comes hot on the heels of the recent report by CybelAngel that revealed that the automotive industry is facing the threat of ransomware attacks due to the exposure of innumerable credentials online.

The report revealed that highly sensitive information of many automotive companies was leaked in six months. The hackers accessed critical information, including trade secrets, PII, blueprints of engines and production facilities, confidential agreements, human resources documents, and more.

Insider threats and external security vulnerabilities across the automotive supply chain are the leading causes for these data breaches, CybelAngel emphasized.

The Volvo breach highlights that no organization is immune to cyberattacks, irrespective of its business size and scope. Therefore, every company ought to stay vigilant to address security vulnerabilities as they sprout proactively.


Also Read: BitMart Falls Victim to a Crypto Heist, Loses USD 200 Million in Tokens!


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