Malware
US Space Tech Powerhouse Maxar Reveals Massive Employee Data Breach
US-based space technology firm Maxar Technologies has disclosed a data breach, potentially affecting current and former employees. The company discovered unauthorized access to its database, which may have exposed personal information such as names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers. Maxar has launched an investigation and is offering identity theft protection services to affected individuals.
Picture this: You work at a leading U.S. satellite maker, Maxar Space Systems, and one day, out of the blue, you receive a notification that hackers have accessed your personal data. It’s a nightmare scenario, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened to some employees at Maxar.
Breaking into Maxar’s Network
Maxar discovered that a hacker had breached their company network and accessed files containing employee personal data. The intruder used a Hong Kong-based IP address and had access to the system for about a week before the company discovered the breach.
As soon as Maxar’s information security team detected the unauthorized access, they took action to prevent the hackers from going deeper into the system. But the damage was already done.
Why You Should Care About Maxar
Maxar Space Systems is a big deal in the American aerospace industry. They’re known for building communication and Earth observation satellites. Based in Colorado, they have built more than 80 satellites currently in orbit. Their technology plays a significant role in space exploration, like the Maxar 1300 platform’s essential role in NASA’s Psyche mission and the power and propulsion elements used for the Artemis Moon exploration program.
What Personal Data Was Exposed?
The hacker likely accessed the following employee information:
- Name
- Home address
- Social security number
- Business contact information
- Gender
- Employment status
- Employee number
- Job title
- Hire/termination and role start dates
- Supervisor
- Department
Thankfully, no bank account information was exposed in this cybersecurity incident.
What’s Next for Maxar Employees?
Maxar is offering affected current employees IDShield identity protection and credit monitoring services. Former employees have until mid-February 2025 to enroll in identity theft protection services from IDX.
While the data breach exposed personal information, it’s also important to consider the potential impact on proprietary technical data. In a somewhat related incident, a threat actor claimed in July to have scraped the user base of GeoHIVE, a geospatial intelligence platform by Maxar Technologies, the parent company of Maxar Space Systems.
We reached out to Maxar Technologies to ask about the possibility of confidential technology data exposure and a possible link to the scraping incident, but a comment wasn’t immediately available.
Take Action to Protect Yourself
This breach at Maxar Space Systems is a stark reminder of the importance of cybersecurity. Don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your personal and business data. If you’re not sure where to start, we’re here to help. Our IT Services will guide you through the process of securing your data and keeping it safe from hackers.
Contact us today and stay ahead of the game. And don’t forget to keep coming back to learn more about cybersecurity and how you can protect yourself and your business.