Here’s why there still may be a data breach risk for more than 2 million Toyota owners

Toyota has disclosed that owing to human mistake, the data of 2.15 million Japanese users who registered for its cloud service platforms since 2012 was made available to the public for ten years.

Toyota has disclosed that owing to human mistake, the data of 2.15 million Japanese users who registered for its cloud service platforms since 2012 was made available to the public for ten years. Almost all of the consumer base is included in this, according to a Reuters report.

A Toyota representative claimed that a mistake made by a person resulted in an issue that persisted from November 2013 to mid-April. They unintentionally changed a cloud system from private to public, potentially disclosing information such as the whereabouts of automobiles and their licence plates. The business asserts that it has no proof that this information was misused inadvertently.

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Customers of Toyota, particularly those of its upscale Lexus brand, have been compromised. The biggest automaker in the world is now concentrating on cloud-based data management and vehicle connectivity, which are necessary for providing autonomous driving and other AI-powered capabilities.

Customers who subscribed to the T-Connect service, which provides a range of services including AI voice-enabled driving assistance, automatic connection to call centres for vehicle management, and emergency support for situations like traffic accidents or sudden illness, were impacted. Additionally, G-Link subscribers who own Lexus vehicles were also impacted.

Toyota claimed that after the problem was identified, it prevented outside access to the data. Additionally, an investigation is being conducted into every cloud environment that the corporation manages.

The representative claimed that there were not enough “active detection mechanisms, and activities to detect the presence or absence of things that became public.” Toyota stated that it intends to put in place a system for checking cloud settings, create continuing monitoring protocols, and offer thorough employee training on data handling policies.

A representative of the Personal Information Protection Commission of Japan has stated that they were made aware of the event.

Koji Sato, the CEO of Toyota, is dealing with issues like testing issues with an affiliate and a shareholder demand for more transparency on lobbying efforts relating to climate change.