Cyberattack on EPAM Systems Exposes Major Data Breach
A group of hackers known as ShinyHunters claims to have stolen massive amounts of data from prominent companies such as Ticketmaster and Santander after breaching EPAM Systems, a Belarusian-founded contractor. The hackers reportedly accessed approximately 165 Snowflake accounts, compromising sensitive banking information for 30 million customers along with internal staff details.
ShinyHunters, active since 2020, has a history of stealing large amounts of data and either leaking or selling it online. They claim to have used data from an EPAM employee's system to infiltrate the Snowflake accounts. EPAM, however, denies any involvement in the breaches and suggests that the hacker's story might be fabricated.
Key Takeaways
- Hackers gained access to Snowflake accounts through a breach at EPAM Systems, a Belarusian-founded contractor.
- Approximately 165 customer accounts were potentially affected, including Ticketmaster and Santander.
- Stolen data from Santander included bank details for 30 million customers.
- ShinyHunters, the hacking group, claims to have used malware on an EPAM employee's system.
- Snowflake accounts were accessed due to the lack of multifactor authentication.
Analysis
The breach at EPAM Systems, a key Snowflake partner, highlights vulnerabilities in third-party security, affecting major clients like Ticketmaster and Santander. The theft of sensitive banking data for 30 million customers poses significant financial and reputational risks. Short-term impacts include potential financial losses and legal repercussions for EPAM and affected companies. Long-term implications could lead to stricter security protocols, including enhanced multifactor authentication and scrutiny of third-party contractors. The incident underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures across all levels of business operations.
Did You Know?
- EPAM Systems: A Belarusian-founded global provider of software engineering and IT consulting services, known for its expertise in digital platform development and cloud services. It has achieved "Elite Tier Partner" status with Snowflake, indicating a high level of partnership and expertise in managing Snowflake accounts.
- Snowflake: A cloud-based data warehousing company that provides a platform for storing, managing, and analyzing large amounts of data. It is designed to handle complex data workloads and is known for its scalability and flexibility, allowing businesses to integrate and analyze data from various sources without the need for extensive on-premises infrastructure.
- Spear-Phishing Attack: A targeted form of phishing where cybercriminals send personalized emails to specific individuals or small groups within an organization. The goal is to trick recipients into revealing confidential information or downloading malware by impersonating a trusted entity. In this case, it was used to compromise an EPAM employee's system, leading to the breach of Snowflake accounts.