Since Diamond IT's Managing Director, Robert Buck’s interview on ABC Newcastle's Drive Home, additional information has been released about the Ticketmaster data breach and the data revealed. The Ticketmaster breach has to date impacted a staggering 560 million customers worldwide. Among the affected are 2 million Australian customers, raising serious concerns about data security and the measures companies are taking to protect personal information.
New Developments: Hacker Shares Data Online
Recently, new information has emerged about the breach. A hacker named Sp1d3r, who may be linked to the ShinyHunters group, made two posts on a popular clear web hacking forum, sharing some of the stolen data.
On 20 June, Sp1d3r allegedly posted, complaining that “Ticketmaster will not respond to request to buy data from us” and stating, “They care not for the privacy of 680 million customers, so give you the first one million users free.”
This post included a sample set of data, containing:
- Names
- Dates of birth
- Email and IP addresses
- Credit card type and expiration date
- Last four digits of credit card numbers
- Customer and membership IDs (internal management data)
Forum users could access the full release by replying to the post, although the data was later moved to the "Databases Removed Content" section of the forum, indicating it might not be currently live.
Broader Impact: Ticketek Breach
A few hours after the initial post, Sp1d3r shared more data, involving 30 million customers of the Ticketek Entertainment Group (TEG), Ticketmaster’s parent company. This dataset included:
- Names
- Gender
- Email addresses
- Hashed passwords
- Customer IDs (internal details)
Notably, this data did not include credit card information, a small mercy for those impacted.
The Ticketmaster breach highlights the persistent threats to data security and the need for robust protective measures. As the situation evolves, it underscores the importance of companies taking proactive steps to safeguard personal information against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
REMINDER: What Should You Do If You Have a Ticketmaster Account?
Typically, after a data breach, phishing attacks increase significantly, so it's crucial to stay vigilant and watch for suspicious emails and messages. If you have a Ticketmaster account, it's essential to take proactive steps:
- Stay Informed: Regularly check Ticketmaster’s website and your emails for updates and information.
- Be Vigilant: Be cautious with emails and phone calls, as these might be attempts to gather more information through phishing attacks.
- Review Online Services: Make a list of all your online services, assess their necessity, and close any accounts that are no longer needed.
- Update Security Measures: Change your passwords or passphrases and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible.
Data breaches are a stark reminder of the importance of cyber security. By staying informed and adopting a cautious approach, individuals can better protect their personal information in an increasingly digital world.
How Can Diamond IT Support Your Cyber Security Defences?
Diamond IT can help you ensure your technology, policy and staff education programs align with best practice to protect you from the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape. Our Business Technology Consultants and Business Technology Managers (BTMs) are specialists in improving your internal cyber security.
- Managed IT Support with Cyber Security.
- Cyber Security Awareness Training.
- Cyber and Data Breach Consulting and Forensic Analysis.
- Disaster Recovery (DR) Planning.
If you need advice on how you can ensure your cyber security strategy is fit for purpose our team of cyber security experts are ready to help. Contact our team on 1300 307 907 today.
