Time: 2024-07-11
Ticketmaster , a major events company , recently faced a Data breach that affected customers in North America . Emails were sent to Canadian customers , urging vigilance against identity theft and fraud after hackers stole personal details of 560 million customers worldwide . The company has been criticized for the delay in notifying customers of the risks they face , including stolen encrypted credit card details . Despite the breach , Ticketmaster is offering identity monitoring services for Canadian customers to protect their personal data online.
Hackers claimed to have obtained barcode data for hundreds of thousands of tickets to Taylor Swift 's tour , demanding a ransom from Ticketmaster . The hacking group , ShinyHunters , posted samples of the data online and threatened to leak information for high - profile concerts and sporting events unless they were paid . However , Ticketmaster denied offering any money to the hackers and stated that their ticketing technology prevented the leaked barcodes from being used as tickets.
The stolen data , although from a large - scale breach , is deemed insufficient for gaining access to an arena due to the dynamic barcodes used by Ticketmaster 's mobile application . Cybersecurity experts confirmed that the hacked data would not enable someone to recreate a barcode to enter an event . Despite the ransom threat , companies like Live Nation have sophisticated measures in place to prevent stolen data from being misused.
The recent ransom threats are part of a broader increase in cyberattacks targeting major corporations and public institutions . Analysts estimate that victims paid out .1 billion in ransoms in 2023 . ShinyHunters , the hacking group responsible for the Ticketmaster breach , has a history of targeting companies like Santander bank , AT&T , and Microsoft . The United Kingdom 's National Health Service also suffered a devastating attack by a Russia - based ransomware gang.
Earlier this year , ShinyHunters breached a third - party contractor to access Ticketmaster 's data , leading to further legal issues for Live Nation . The company faced backlash over its handling of Swift 's tour , with tickets being resold for exorbitant amounts . Despite the cyber threats , companies like Live Nation continue to implement measures to protect customer data and prevent unauthorized access to events.
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