May 30th 2024.
Unfortunately, it seems that Ticketmaster may have fallen victim to a hacking attack. Reports have surfaced that their data has been stolen, potentially putting the personal information of hundreds of millions of customers at risk. The hackers, who go by the name ShinyHunters, claim to have obtained the data of 560 million customers.
This is not the first time ShinyHunters has targeted a big company. In 2021, they hacked into US telecoms company AT&T and stole the data of 70 million customers, including social security numbers, before selling it on the dark web. Now, they are reportedly offering the stolen Ticketmaster data for sale at a whopping $500,000. It's been reported that they initially tried to extort a $750,000 ransom from the company before going public with the data.
Ticketmaster has yet to publicly confirm the breach, but the Australian Home Affairs Department has acknowledged a "cyber incident" affecting their customers. The stolen data is said to include customers' full names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and partial payment information, such as the last four digits of their credit cards and expiration dates. It's a concerning situation, and it's still unknown how the hackers were able to access the sensitive information.
The news of this breach comes at a bad time for Ticketmaster. Just last week, the US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against them and their parent company Live Nation for their monopolizing practices in the ticket sales industry. Customers have also long complained about Ticketmaster's high prices, but now the focus is on their security.
Professor Nigel Phair, an expert in cybersecurity, expressed his concern about the frequency of data breaches and the lack of action from organizations. He also emphasized the need for companies to be more transparent and proactive in their communication with the public about these incidents. In the meantime, customers should remain vigilant and be on the lookout for any suspicious activity, such as unusual emails, texts, or credit card transactions.
If you are a Ticketmaster customer, it's essential to take precautions to protect yourself following this breach. Change your password to a strong and unique combination and avoid using it for multiple accounts. Keeping your devices' software up to date is also crucial for security. Consider installing antivirus software on all your devices, including your phone. After a breach, hackers may use phishing techniques to scam customers into giving out more information. Be wary of urgent requests for payment or personal information and always contact the company directly to verify the communication is legitimate.
On a related note, it's becoming increasingly common for websites and social media platforms to ask for your date of birth when signing up. However, this seemingly harmless information is actually valuable to hackers and can put you at risk for identity theft. It's recommended to use a fake date of birth when signing up for accounts, and only use your real date of birth for official purposes, such as applying for a passport or driver's license. As they say, sometimes it's best to be like the queen and have two birthdays.
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