Uber data breach affecting 57 million users in 2016 came from hacker in Canada
TORONTO — One of the hackers involved in stealing data connected to 57 million Uber users in 2016 was located in Canada.
The ride-hailing company revealed the hacker reached out to the company in November 2016, asking for a “six-figure payment,” but it was an accomplice in Florida, who it believes actually obtained the stolen data, which included names, email addresses and mobile phone numbers.
The revelations are part of a statement the company’s chief information security officer John Flynn made to a U.S. subcommittee handling consumer protection and data security on Tuesday.
They offer a glimpse into a chapter of Uber’s history that has been mired in controversy since the company admitted it tried to cover up the breach for more than a year by paying the hackers $100,000 to destroy the information.