Data Breach – Millions of Toyota Owners at Risk

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Toyota Motor Corporation has stated that vehicle data of around 2.15 million users in the entire customer base had been publicly available for a decade in the face of human error – an alarming situation that has shattered Toyota’s reputation and name.

The Breach

As per the media reports, a cloud technician that constructed the company’s location services made a cloud configuration mistake which in turn compromised the privacy of millions of Toyota’s customers. Toyota Motors controls all the data services for its vehicles via Toyota Connected Corporation, which made a mistake while configuring the cloud-based database holding.

The company spokesperson Hideaki Homma informed that the issue erupted following the mistake, which lasted in all Japan-based vehicles from November 2013 to mid-April 2023. Although the said error made the location and identification number of vehicle devices public, they received no reports of its misuse, the company further added. 

When he asked why it took years to realize the error, he replied, “There was a lack of active detection mechanisms and activities to detect the presence or absence of things that became public. We are so sorry to have caused such trouble to all the people”.

The Way Forward

Toyota has assured that it will come up with a system monitoring the setting, auditing the cloud settings, and educating employees regarding data handling rules.

Users who signed up for the T-Connect service and owners of the Lexus vehicles using G-link were among the affectees. Furthermore, the company’s official said that the personal information Protection Commission of Japan has also been informed concerning the breach. 

Toyota Motors stated that steps have been taken to block outside access to vehicles’ data after the error was detected. Investigation to assert the incident was also being carried out, the company added.

What do you think about the breach? Tell us in the comments section.

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