Uber Covered Up Hack that Stole Data on 57 Million Accounts

Uber Technologies Inc. paid two hackers $100,000 a year ago not to reveal that they had stolen data about 57 million of the ride-hailing service’s accounts, Bloomberg News says.

“None of this should have happened, and I will not make excuses for it,” declares Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over as CEO in August after Uber’s board forced out founder Travis Kalanick.

Kalanick learned of the theft a month after it occurred. And the company fired its chief security officer and a deputy for the breach and cover-up shortly thereafter. An internal investigation concluded Kalanick wasn’t involved in the decision to conceal the theft.

Khosrowshahi says the hackers captured names, email addresses and cell numbers from Uber customers worldwide, along with names and driver’s license numbers for 7 million people who drove for the company. He says the hackers did not gain birth dates, credit card information or Social Security numbers.

Media reports note that Uber has a history of lax control over customer data. It used a software called Greyball to identify and evade regulators, ran a program to set up bogus accounts with rival Lyft Inc. so it could track Lyft drivers and compare pricing, and it shared medical records of a woman who reported she was raped by an Uber driver.