Ethical Hacking News
21,000 Nissan customers had their personal data leaked after an unauthorized access to a Red Hat-managed server, highlighting the ongoing threats posed by advanced persistent threats and organized crime groups. The breach serves as a reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for organizations handling sensitive customer data.
Nissan's personal data was leaked after an unauthorized access to a Red Hat-managed server.About 21,000 customers were affected by the breach, which occurred on September 26.The leak was caused by an unauthorized third party gaining access to a dedicated GitLab instance.A total of 570 GB of compressed data was exfiltrated, including sensitive customer documents.The breach highlights a significant vulnerability in Nissan's data security measures and emphasizes the need for robust cybersecurity protocols.Nissan has suffered two major security breaches in the past three years.
The automotive industry is no stranger to data breaches, but recent events have highlighted the alarming rate at which sensitive information is being compromised. The latest incident involves Nissan, a Japanese automaker whose customers' personal data was leaked after an unauthorized access to a Red Hat-managed server.
According to a recent breach notification released by Nissan, approximately 21,000 customers who purchased vehicles or had services done at the former Nissan Fukuoka Motor Co. were affected by the digital intrusion detected in September. The leak, which occurred on September 26, is believed to have been caused by an unauthorized third party gaining access to a Red Hat Consulting-managed, dedicated GitLab instance.
Red Hat, an open-source software company, recently disclosed that it had detected the intruders and alerted Nissan on October 3. However, the breach went undetected for several weeks prior to detection. Crimson Collective, a group claiming responsibility for the breach, revealed in early October that they had accessed Red Hat's private GitLab repositories and exfiltrated some 570 GB of compressed data, including sensitive documents belonging to customers.
The leaked information includes customers' addresses, names, phone numbers, partial email addresses, and other customer-related information used for sales activities. Nissan emphasized that the leak did not result in any stolen credit card information. Nonetheless, the breach highlights a significant vulnerability in the automaker's data security measures.
Nissan attributed the breach to an "unauthorized third party" accessing its subcontractors' systems. The company noted that it takes this incident very seriously and has strengthened its monitoring of subcontractors and plans to take further steps to strengthen information security. Nissan also expressed its regret for any inconvenience caused by the breach, particularly regarding suspicious calls or mail.
The breach is not an isolated incident; Nissan has suffered two major security breaches in the past three years. In May 2024, the company admitted that personal information belonging to over 50,000 North American employees had been stolen during a November 2023 targeted cyberattack. Two months prior, Nissan disclosed that its Oceania division's IT systems were compromised by the Akira ransomware gang in December 2023.
The recent breach demonstrates the ongoing threat posed by advanced persistent threats (APTs) and organized crime groups seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in global organizations' security posture. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures, including regular audits, penetration testing, and continuous training for employees handling sensitive data.
Red Hat has faced criticism for its handling of this breach, with concerns raised about the company's failure to prevent unauthorized access to its GitLab instance. The breach highlights the need for organizations to implement robust security protocols, prioritize data encryption, and maintain open communication channels with subcontractors.
The automotive industry is under increasing pressure to prioritize data protection as the use of connected vehicles and sophisticated software systems grows in importance. Nissan's recent breach underscores the need for this industry to strengthen its cybersecurity posture and establish comprehensive incident response plans to mitigate the risk of future breaches.
Nissan's commitment to improving its information security measures is essential, given the potential consequences of such incidents on customers' trust and business operations. As organizations like Nissan navigate this increasingly complex cyber threat landscape, it is crucial that they adopt a proactive approach to data protection and invest in robust cybersecurity solutions to safeguard sensitive information.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/A-Critical-Breach-Exposes-Sensitive-Data-of-21000-Nissan-Customers-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/12/23/21k_nissan_customers_data_stolen/
https://www.rapid7.com/blog/post/tr-crimson-collective-a-new-threat-group-observed-operating-in-the-cloud/
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/crimson-collective-hackers-target-aws-cloud-instances-for-data-theft/
Published: Wed Dec 24 09:33:17 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
