Coupang Data Breach Exposes Information of 33.7 Million Customers – A Critically important Increase from Initial Reports
Seoul, South Korea – November 25, 2023 - E-commerce leader Coupang Inc. announced Saturday a massive data breach impacting a staggering 33.7 million customer accounts.This revelation dramatically expands on the initial report of 4,500 affected accounts disclosed earlier this month, suggesting nearly all of Coupang’s customer base may have had their personal information compromised.
The exposed data includes sensitive details such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, and delivery addresses. Though, Coupang has confirmed that critical financial information – including payment details, credit card numbers, and login credentials – remains secure and was not accessed during the breach.
Timeline and Investigation
According to a company press release, unauthorized access to delivery-related personal information began as early as june 24th, originating from overseas servers.Coupang states it has since blocked the access route and significantly bolstered internal security monitoring.
“We sincerely apologize for the anxiety and inconvenience this incident may cause our customers,” Coupang stated. The company is currently collaborating with leading security experts and fully cooperating with law enforcement and relevant regulatory authorities in a complete investigation to determine the full scope and cause of the breach.
Scale of the Impact
The extent of the data leak is notably concerning given coupang’s substantial user base. The company reported 24.7 million active users within its Product Commerce division (which encompasses its popular delivery service) as of the third quarter of this year. This indicates the breach possibly affects a vast majority of its active customer base.
Initial Underreporting & Police Investigation
Coupang initially reported a much smaller data leak on November 20th, citing approximately 4,500 affected customers and initially stating there was no evidence of unauthorized access to payment information or system intrusion. However, this figure has now been revised upwards significantly.
South Korean police launched an investigation on Tuesday, november 21st, following a complaint filed by Coupang, aiming to pinpoint the exact source and method of the data leak.
what Customers Should Do
coupang is urging customers to exercise extreme caution regarding any unsolicited phone calls, text messages, or other communications claiming to be from the company. Customers are advised to be vigilant against potential phishing attempts and to report any suspicious activity to coupang’s customer service team.
[Image of Coupang logo – Yonhap]
Keywords: Coupang, data breach, data leak, South Korea, e-commerce, cybersecurity, personal information, customer data, phishing, online security, Yonhap.
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