Dubai-based app ‘Careem’ has revealed it had been a victim of data breach. It said on its blog that hackers had accessed the names, email addresses, phone numbers & trip details of anyone who signed up for Careem prior to January 14. Careem said there’s no evidence the hackers accessed passwords or credit card information.
The breach involved access to Careem’s data storage system for 14 million riders & 558,800 drivers. The company was quick to add it hadn’t seen any evidence of fraud or misuse.
Here’s what Careem said in its post:
As soon as we detected the breach, we launched a thorough investigation and engaged leading cybersecurity experts to assist us in strengthening our security systems. We are also working with law enforcement agencies.
Throughout the incident, our priority has been to protect the data and privacy of our customers and captains. Since discovering the issue, we have worked to understand what happened, who was affected, and what we needed to do to strengthen our network defences.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Alongside the work we are doing to further strengthen our security systems, customers can follow these steps to safeguard their own personal information:
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Implement good password management by updating your Careem password, as well as other accounts on which you use similar details. Use a strong mix of characters, and try not to use the same password for multiple sites.
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Remain cautious of any unsolicited communications that ask for personal information or refer to a web page asking for personal information
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Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unfamiliar emails
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Continue to review bank account and credit card statements for suspicious activity – if you see anything unexpected, call your bank
Image Credit: Careem
