Volkswagen is facing major scrutiny following a significant data breach involving 800,000 of its electric vehicles. The incident exposed movement data and owner information without protection on the internet. Approximately 460,000 vehicles had their precise location data available, raising concerns over privacy and security. The breach originated from VW's software subsidiary, Cariad, where data was stored in Amazon cloud storage. It was uncovered by the Chaos Computer Club, which reported that sensitive information like passwords and payment details remained secure.
The breach primarily involved data used for optimizing battery and charging software, affecting vehicles from VW, Seat, Audi, and Skoda. Although the data was pseudonymized, it still allowed some insights after bypassing several security measures. The incident has damaged Volkswagen's reputation, which prides itself on data security. This breach follows the company's previous challenges and highlights the critical need for robust data protection measures. Investigations are ongoing, with further steps anticipated once a comprehensive analysis is complete.
