Malware
Avis Reveals Massive Data Breach: Customer Information Compromised in Car Rental Empire
Car rental company Avis recently disclosed a data breach affecting customer data. The breach exposed sensitive information such as names, addresses, and phone numbers. Protect your personal information by staying vigilant and monitoring your accounts for any suspicious activity.
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Did you hear the news? American car rental giant Avis recently informed customers that cybercriminals breached one of its business applications last month and stole some of their personal information.
According to data breach notification letters sent to impacted customers and filed with California’s Office of the Attorney General, Avis took action to stop the unauthorized access and launched an investigation with the help of external cybersecurity experts after learning of the breach on August 5th.
What did the investigation uncover?
The investigation revealed that the attacker had access to Avis’s business application from August 3rd to 6th. The company managed to evict the malicious actor from its systems and blocked its access on August 6th. On August 14th, it also discovered that the attacker stole some customers’ personal information, including their names and other undisclosed sensitive data.
Since the breach, Avis says it has worked with outside experts to strengthen security measures for the affected application and implemented additional safeguards across its systems.
What has Avis done to protect its customers?
Avis has been actively reviewing security monitoring and controls to bolster security defenses and warned customers of identity theft and fraud risks following the data breach. The company advised those whose personal information was stolen to remain vigilant against threats of identity theft or fraud. They suggested customers do this by regularly reviewing and monitoring their account statements and credit history for any signs of unauthorized transactions or activity and contacting credit reporting agencies if they suspect any unauthorized activity.
Moreover, Avis offered those affected a free one-year membership to Equifax’s credit monitoring service, which provides assistance with identity theft detection and resolution.
About Avis and its global presence
Avis is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, a leading global mobility solutions provider that also owns Zipcar, the world’s leading car-sharing network. Its Avis and Budget car rental brands operate over 10,000 rental locations in 180 countries across North America, Europe, and Australasia. Avis Budget Group has reported more than $3.0 billion in revenues for the second quarter of 2024.
We reached out to Avis for more information about the attack’s nature, the number of affected customers, and the other personal information stolen in the breach, but the company has not responded yet.
Stay informed and protected
Cybersecurity is more important than ever, and we at IT Services are dedicated to helping you stay informed and protected. We encourage you to keep coming back to learn more about the latest cybersecurity news and trends. Together, we can make the digital world a safer place for everyone. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us!