14 DAY TRIAL // Vodafone Germany has been hacked, the company’s representatives admitted on Tuesday. The details of around two million customers have been stolen by the cybercriminals.
The company’s representatives have revealed in a statement that the attack appears to be highly sophisticated, possibly supported by someone from the inside.
The stolen information includes names, addresses, genders, dates of birth, bank account numbers and bank sort codes. Credit card details, passwords, PINs, mobile phone numbers, and transaction data have not been taken by the hackers, Vodafone Germany assures customers.
The company also clarifies that only users of Vodafone Germany are impacted by the incident.
Vodafone said it mitigated the attack as soon as it was discovered. Law enforcement authorities and regulators have been notified.
Authorities initially asked the telecoms firm not to make the data breach public to avoid jeopardizing their investigation. In the meantime, they’ve identified a possible suspect whose house they’ve already searched.
Individuals affected by the breach are being notified by the company. Vodafone Germany highlights the fact that the stolen data alone can’t be misused to retrieve money from bank accounts.
However, users are warned that the cybercriminals might leverage the information to send out legitimate-looking phishing emails designed to trick victims into handing over other sensitive details such as passwords and credit card information.
The organization emphasizes the fact that it will never contact customers to ask them for personal information. Impacted individuals are advised to be on the lookout for suspicious emails and to keep a close eye on their bank statements for any irregularities.
“The company has IT systems that meet the highest possible standards. These are regularly updated and expanded. Vodafone will take all necessary steps to further improve the security of its systems to protect them against future criminal attacks,” Vodafone Germany said in a statement.