Ford refutes hacker breach of 44,000 customer records

Hackers claim data of more than 44,000 Ford customers was compromised, but automaker says there were no successful attacks

Ford has denied reports that hackers broke into its computer systems and exposed the data of thousands of customers. Stories of the successful attack began to emerge on Sunday after someone named @Energy WeaponUser posted on the BreachForums website claiming they had accessed the personal information of more than 44,000 Ford customers.

The alleged leak reportedly includes the names, locations and details of Ford products purchased by these customers.

RELATED: 15,000 dealers sent back to the Stone Age after CDK cyber attack

Internet Insider Said poster offered other forum users the chance to gain eight points to access all data, which to those of us unfamiliar with the details of the hack amounts to a “freebie.” CIwords. The small fee required to access the records suggests the hackers’ goal was simply to damage Ford’s image and public standing, rather than make a fortune, the report said.

But Ford denies experiencing any kind of breach and has taken action to reassure owners that their information is safe.

“Ford’s investigation has determined that no Ford systems or customer data were compromised. “A spokesperson told Carscoops. “The matter involves a third-party supplier and a small number of publicly available dealer business addresses. We understand this matter has now been resolved. “

Mazda vulnerability downplayed

Ford is the second automaker this month to have its vulnerabilities called into question. Last week we wrote about how security experts discovered that Mazda’s Connect infotainment system could be vulnerable to malware attacks that could compromise the car’s security systems, although the hackers would need access to the car’s USB ports.

Mazda responded to us and stated that it currently has no specific solution, but believes that customers should not be overly worried. Here’s what the company told Carscoops:

“Mazda is aware of the vulnerability described in some articles. Although Mazda did not respond to specific measures and details, Mazda is continuing to develop technology and implement countermeasures to fix vulnerabilities in the system to protect customers’ safety and assets. We do not respond to specific details about countermeasures.

It is worth noting that attacks targeting this vulnerability require a vehicle key (key FOB/remote transmitter) and cannot be executed remotely. Therefore, we consider the likelihood of exploitation to be extremely low.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and concern this may cause our customers.“