Tesla has revealed that a data breach compromised the personal information of more than 75,000 individuals, including both staff and external parties. The breach was orchestrated by two former Tesla employees, according to a legal disclosure by the company.
The breach, which occurred earlier, saw a significant amount of personal data being exposed. This data subsequently made its way to German media outlet Handelsblatt. Steven Elentukh, Tesla’s data privacy officer, disclosed this information in a submission made to the attorney general’s office in Maine.
Tesla’s legal submission further indicated that Handelsblatt had informed the company about the receipt of confidential information. This data encompassed sensitive details such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers. The submission, dated August 18, shed light on the extent of the exposed information.
Taking prompt action, Tesla not only identified the former employees responsible for the data leak but also initiated lawsuits against them. Additionally, the company seized the devices implicated in the breach.
Under U.S. regulations, companies are obligated to report data breaches exceeding a certain threshold to relevant authorities. It’s worth noting that the specifics of these laws vary from state to state.
This incident involving Tesla’s data breach follows a previous report by Reuters in April. The report highlighted instances of Tesla employees privately sharing customer information through internal messaging systems. This information reportedly included videos and images recorded through the car’s integrated cameras.
