#CyberAttack: Name, birthday, contact info leaked in Samsung security breach
What's the story
Some Samsung customers in the US did not have the best of mornings as they woke up to a warning email from the company.
As per the email, the South Korean tech giant was at the receiving end of a security breach in late July. Data including names, birthdays, and contact information, among others, were leaked.
The breach was discovered on August 4.
Context
Why does this story matter?
In the digital age that we live in, everyone is vulnerable to data breaches. Even those at the top of the food chain are not safe.
It is true that the data breach in Samsung affected only a certain group of people. But remember, one day or another, that could be any one of us.
Therefore, you better up your security game.
Security breach
Information leaked varies from customer to customer
Samsung has warned some of its users in the US that "an unauthorized third party acquired information from some of Samsung's US systems."
As per the company's FAQ, information such as name, date of birth, contact and demographic info, and product registration details were leaked.
The company said that the details leaked may vary from person to person.
Sensitive info
What about other sensitive details?
Samsung has assured its customers that sensitive information such as Social Security numbers or credit/debit card numbers has not been impacted by the attack.
This should come as a relief for affected users. However, the leaked details can be used by unscrupulous elements to social engineer attacks on other services.
About time you turn on that two-factor authentication. Better be safe than sorry.
Steps
Samsung has hired a cybersecurity firm to look into breach
The breach occurred in late July, but it came to Samsung's notice around August 4. Since then, it has taken necessary action to secure affected systems and has hired a leading cybersecurity firm to conduct an investigation into the matter.
The company has also set up a dedicated webpage with frequently asked questions (FAQs) to clarify more about the matter.
Worry
Are customers at risk?
For those who are concerned about their accounts on Samsung platforms, the company said that "immediate action" is not necessary.
It has, however, cautioned against unsolicited communications seeking personal information and clicking on links/downloading attachments from suspicious emails.
The firm has also asked customers to review their accounts for suspicious activity. To the relief of many, consumer devices are not affected by the incident.