Iranian Hacked Insurance Customer Data Troves Available for Purchase

Righto, chaps, you’re not going to believe this one. A pokey little number in Iran was cyberattacked, and a massive amount of customer information was stolen. If you might be envisaging a few thousand records – well think bigger. This cheeky little blighter managed to nab about 160 million customer records. That’s a lot of John Smiths and Jane Does, don’t you reckon?

So, let me give you the details about what happened. Apparently, all the juicy data bits were nicked from 23 Iranian insurance companies. That’s right, 23 of them! You could say it’s a bit of a rum do for those firms, considering the quite massive loophole they had in their cybersecurity. The price tag for these records? Merely £75,000, or around $100,000. Chicken feed for some, I know, but still a tidy sum.

Here’s where it gets really squirrely: according to the Iranian Leakage Tracking System, or Leakfa for those who prefer a less mouthful of a name, this claim ain’t just hot air. It’s sealed, signed, and delivered to the letter. The poor chaps at the receiving end of this cyber shindig were the Expert Information Technologists. You’d have presumed that an outfit bearing such a name would have done better, no?

Now, what does this treasure trove of data contain, you ask? The usual suspects: name, national number, date of birth, address, zip code, and mobile phone number. Basically, everything you’d need to forge identities, if that’s your cup of tea. I’m merely the messenger, mind you, and I don’t condone such dastardly actions.

Remarkably, we all got wind of this on a Telegram channel, no less, just last August. Yes, the cyber robin-hoods couldn’t keep a wrap on it, so they posted the news on Telegram for all of us to know. Mind, we’re not talking about the Royal Mail here, but the modern sort where everyone and their uncle can become an instant news reporter.

I reckon the moral of the story here is quite clear for those who put stock in their privacy. Cybersecurity is nothing to scoff at. With the digital world turning into a bit of a wild west, there’s no knowing when some techno cowboy might ride off with your identity stashed in their saddlebag. So, look sharp, chums! A tight ship on the cybersecurity front will keep such uninvited gents with sticky fingers at bay.

Blimey, it seems we’re out of time. That was a rollicking good chinwag, wasn’t it? Let’s have another one soon, perhaps delve deeper into the fascinating world of cybersecurity, eh? Until then, stay safe, protect those precious digits, and remember: the cyber world is a real jungle out there. Ta-ra for now!

by Parker Bytes