Search This Blog
Powered by Blogger.

Blog Archive

Labels

About Me

Load More
Trendy Right Now

Popular Posts

Showing posts with label Radio Station. Show all posts
Sensitive Information
Customer Data Cyber Attacks Data Leak Data protection data security Data Theft Employee Data Identity Theft Prevention Radio Station Sensitive Information

iHeartMedia Cyberattack Exposes Sensitive Data Across Multiple Radio Stations

 

iHeartMedia, the largest audio media company in the United States, has confirmed a significant data breach following a cyberattack on several of its local radio stations. In official breach notifications sent to affected individuals and state attorney general offices in Maine, Massachusetts, and California, the company disclosed that cybercriminals accessed sensitive customer information between December 24 and December 27, 2024. Although iHeartMedia did not specify how many individuals were affected, the breach appears to have involved data stored on systems at a “small number” of stations. 

The exact number of compromised stations remains undisclosed. With a network of 870 radio stations and a reported monthly audience of 250 million listeners, the potential scope of this breach is concerning. According to the breach notification letters, the attackers “viewed and obtained” various types of personal information. The compromised data includes full names, passport numbers, other government-issued identification numbers, dates of birth, financial account information, payment card data, and even health and health insurance records. 

Such a comprehensive data set makes the victims vulnerable to a wide array of cybercrimes, from identity theft to financial fraud. The combination of personal identifiers and health or insurance details increases the likelihood of victims being targeted by tailored phishing campaigns. With access to passport numbers and financial records, cybercriminals can attempt identity theft or engage in unauthorized transactions and wire fraud. As of now, the stolen data has not surfaced on dark web marketplaces, but the risk remains high. 

No cybercrime group has claimed responsibility for the breach as of yet. However, the level of detail and sensitivity in the data accessed suggests the attackers had a specific objective and targeted the breach with precision. 

In response, iHeartMedia is offering one year of complimentary identity theft protection services to impacted individuals. The company has also established a dedicated hotline for those seeking assistance or more information. While these actions are intended to mitigate potential fallout, they may offer limited relief given the nature of the exposed information. 

This incident underscores the increasing frequency and severity of cyberattacks on media organizations and the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity protocols. For iHeartMedia, transparency and timely support for affected customers will be key in managing the aftermath of this breach. 

As investigations continue, more details may emerge regarding the extent of the compromise and the identity of those behind the attack.
Read more »
Ukraine
Cyber Security Fake news Radio Station Russia-Ukraine War Ukraine

Hacked Ukrainian Radio Stations Propagates Misinformation Regarding President Zelensky’s Health

 

The hackers targeted Ukrainian radio operator TAVR Media on Thursday to spread fake news that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was hospitalized and is in a critical condition. 

Anonymous attackers broadcasted reports that the Ukrainian President was in an intensive care ward and that his duties were being temporarily performed by the Chairman of the Ukrainian parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk, the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) stated. 

"Cybercriminals spread information that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is allegedly in intensive care, and his duties are performed by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk," the SSSCIP said in an update. 

The Kyiv-based holding firm is one of Ukraine’s largest broadcasters and manages nine major radio stations, including Hit FM, Radio ROKS, KISS FM, Radio RELAX, Melody FM, Nashe Radio, Radio JAZZ, Classic Radio, and Radio Bayraktar. 

TavrMedia wrote on Facebook that it is working “to solve the problem,” but did not provide additional details. The company also emphasized that "no information about the health problems of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is true." 

The false reports, which were broadcasted during prime time, between 12 and 2 p.m., also forced Zelenskyy to take to Instagram, stating, "I have never felt as healthy as I do now." 

It remains unclear how the hackers breached TAVR Media. Multiple hackers from across the globe have tried to capitalize on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine to launch a barrage of cyberattacks. 

In a related development, the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine (CERT-UA) also issued a warning regarding macro-laden PowerPoint documents being leveraged to deploy Agent Tesla malware targeting state organizations of Ukraine. 

This is not the first instance that hackers have targeted Ukrainian media. According to Cloudflare, online media, publishing, and broadcasting firms were targeted by more distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS) in the second quarter of 2022 than in any other industry. 

Earlier this year in June, the malicious actors also targeted the Ukrainian streaming service Oll.tv and replaced the broadcast of a football match between Ukraine and Wales with Russian propaganda. In February, Ukraine’s national public broadcaster suffered a DDoS attack, according to its general producer Dmytro Khorkin.
Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)