Consumer electronics brand boAt has allegedly suffered a significant data loss concerning 7.5 million customers, according to reports surfacing on the dark web. The information compromised includes personal details like names, email IDs, customer IDs, contact numbers, and other pertinent data. This unsettling revelation has been documented by Forbes.
Reportedly, approximately 2GB of data has been illicitly released. The perpetrator, identified as ShopifyGUY, asserted on April 5th that they had successfully infiltrated boAt Lifestyle, a manufacturer of smartwatches, along with its range of audio products.
The exposed personally identifiable information by boAt is now accessible on the dark web, with potential scammers able to purchase it for a nominal fee, estimated around Rs 180.
Established in 2016 by Shark Tank judge Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta, boAt specializes in offering earbuds, headphones, earphones, and wireless speakers. Despite recording a revenue of Rs 3,403.1 crore for the fiscal year ending in March 2023 (a notable increase from Rs 2,886.4 crore in FY 2022), the company reported a loss of Rs 129.4 crore during the same period. Contrastingly, it registered a profit of Rs 68.7 crore in FY 2022.
According to officials of boAT,
“boAt is aware of recent claims regarding a potential data leak involving customer information. We take these claims seriously and have immediately launched a comprehensive investigation. At boAt, safeguarding customer data is our top priority”
A study conducted by cybersecurity firm Thales highlights the proliferation of ransomware and malware as the most rapidly growing threats in 2024. Approximately 42% of respondents identified them as the swiftest-growing types of threats. Notably, cloud assets, encompassing SaaS applications, cloud-based storage, and cloud infrastructure management, remain the primary targets for such malicious activities.
