Latest news with #privacybreach
RNZ News
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Vehicles stolen after NZTA breaches privacy of 1000 owners
Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas A privacy breach exposed the details of nearly 1000 people in a Transport Agency database over the course of 12 months. The agency said the breach was suspected to have resulted in at least 13 vehicles being targeted for theft. It admitted the problem to RNZ after one of the people affected contacted RNZ. The agency said the problem involved the agency's Motochek system, which allowed registered users to electronically access information held on the Motor Vehicle Register. "NZTA became aware of the breach in May 2025, via a customer complaint and through police as a part of an ongoing investigation. We determined that the unauthorised access resulted from the Motocheck account of an ex-employee of Auckland Auto Collections Ltd being used to access people's names and addresses from the MVR," it said in a statement. "To date we have determined that names and addresses of 951 people were accessed improperly over the 12 months to May 2025, and that at least 13 of these vehicles are suspected to have been targeted for theft." The agency said it was contacting potentially affected people to advise them of the breach, update them on actions being taken to address the situation, and to provide support and advice to address their concerns. "We have sincerely apologised to those affected for the inconvenience and distress caused by the breach," it said. NZTA said it was also assisting police with their investigations of the breach and vehicles which might have been targeted for theft. It had also notified the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. NZTA said it had systems and processes to protect peoples' privacy, including the terms and conditions which authorised users were expected to meet if they accessed the register. "Work is underway to improve the protection of personal information within our registers, with a priority to address risks of harm. This work will involve improvements across policy, contractual, operational and digital aspects of register access," it said. A person affected by the breach was told in a message from NZTA that their full name and address were accessed last year. "We have been unable to confirm the reason why your name and address was accessed. If you feel that your personal safety is at risk, we encourage you to contact NZ Police directly," the message said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hackers steal images from women's dating safety app that vets men
A dating safety app that allows women to do background checks on men and anonymously share "red flag" behaviour has been hacked, exposing thousands of members' images, posts and Dating Advice, a US-based women-only app with 1.6 million users, said there had been "unauthorised access" to 72,000 images submitted by women. Some included images of women holding photo identification for verification purposes, which Tea's own privacy policy promises are "deleted immediately" after said the breach affected members who signed up before February 2024. It added it had "acted fast" and was "working with some of the most trusted cyber security experts". The app has recently experienced a surge in popularity - as well as criticism from some who claim it is anti-men. Tea lets women check whether potential partners are married or registered sex offenders as well as run reverse image searches to protect against "catfishing", where people use fake online one of the most controversial aspects of Tea is that it allows women to share information on men they have dated to "avoid red flags" but also highlight those with "green flag" qualities. The company said the breached photos "can in no way be linked to posts within Tea". The firm blocks screenshots so that posts are not shared outside the on Friday it also admitted that an additional 59,000 images from the app showing posts, comments and direct messages from over two years ago were accessed. Tea said: "We're taking every step to protect this community - now and always."BBC News has contacted Tea for comment. The company was set up in November 2022 by Sean Cook, a software engineer who said he was inspired to create Tea after witnessing his mother's online dating told Medium in May: "I was shocked by how easy it was for catfish, scammers and criminals to take advantage of women on dating apps and how little traditional dating apps do to protect users."However, some men - and women - have challenged these types of groups claiming that they put men at risk of invasion of privacy and this year, an individual named Nikko D'Ambrosio took legal action against Facebook's owner Meta because of a number of statements made about him in a chap group called "Are We Dating the Same Guy".The lawsuit was thrown out by a federal judge in Illinois.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Yahoo
Theft of mail at City of Edmonton facility prompts public alert
The City of Edmonton is alerting the public about a break-in and theft that occurred at a City facility after-hours on the weekend of June 28, one it says may have 'compromised the privacy of a limited number of Edmontonians.' Edmonton city police are investigating after staff discovered the theft of up to 200 pieces of mail and other items on June 30, said a Thursday City of Edmonton news release. The mail would have been dropped off at a City facility or sent locally to the City of Edmonton via Canada Post between June 24 and June 27, said the release. 'The stolen mail may have included details such as names, addresses, contact information, family details and/or financial information,' it reads. 'While the City takes all necessary precautions to safeguard the personal information entrusted to it by Edmontonians, no organization is immune to criminal activity.' Upon discovering the theft, the City of Edmonton relocated mail storage to another secure location. It also launched an internal privacy investigation to determine the extent of the privacy breach, said the release. And it has reported the privacy breach to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the provincial Minister of Technology and Innovation. Staff have been reaching out to potentially affected individuals where possible. Anyone who dropped off mail at a City facility – including recreation centres, attractions and the Edmonton Service Centre – or sent mail to the City locally via Canada Post between June 24 and June 27, is encouraged to contact the City of Edmonton to confirm receipt of their mail, said the release. Visit to confirm the appropriate contact. Alternatively, you can email mailservicesbreach@ or call 311 to be directed to the correct person. Those who believe their personal information has been collected, used, or disclosed in contravention of the Protection of Privacy Act can request a review by the Information and Privacy Commissioner under Section 37 of the Act. Related City of Edmonton alleges $1.6 million stolen in invoicing scheme by two city employees Man charged following theft of Edmonton's Emily Murphy statue, address signs You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
Phone Arena
18-07-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Remember the Cambridge Analytica scandal? Zuckerberg and Meta settle $8 billion lawsuit
Do you recall the Cambridge Analytica scandal? Yes, I remember it clearly to this day. Now that you mention it, it all comes back. Never heard of it. Yes, I remember it clearly to this day. 0% Now that you mention it, it all comes back. 0% Never heard of it. 0% Receive the latest Apps news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy The settlement was announced Thursday during a hearing in Delaware, just as the trial was about to begin its second day. Details of the settlement remain confidential for the moment, and attorneys for the defense offered no comment, while the judge congratulated both sides on resolving the lawsuit, brought by Meta shareholders, accused Zuckerberg, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, Sandberg, and other former executives of failing to prevent privacy breaches that cost the company billions in regulatory dispute centered on Facebook's failure to follow a 2012 FTC agreement to protect user data, which led to a $5 billion fine in 2019. Shareholders wanted executives to repay the company from their own wealth, but the defendants called the claims "extreme" and denied any trial was expected to feature testimony from prominent figures, including Zuckerberg, Sandberg, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, and Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel. Zuckerberg was slated to testify Monday, and Sandberg later in the week. Sandberg was criticized for deleting important emails, which hurt her defense in court. By settling, she and the others avoid having to testify under oath or reveal information that could harm the core of the lawsuit were so-called Caremark claims – lawsuits that say company leaders didn't do their job to keep the company out of legal trouble. Basically, shareholders argue the board ignored big warning signs or didn't set up any system to make sure the company followed the law. These cases are very hard to win because you have to prove the leaders acted in bad faith, not just made allegations stemmed from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which involved the political consulting firm improperly collecting data from millions of Facebook users without their consent. This data was used to target voters during the 2016 US presidential election and other campaigns. The breach exposed major flaws in Facebook's data privacy practices and sparked global outrage. It led to investigations, significant fines – including a $5 billion penalty from the Federal Trade Commission – and raised awareness about how personal information is handled by social media platforms.I think it's safe to say that it's all forgotten by now – forgotten by regular Facebook users, I mean. Zuck and co. will remember this little stunt for life.
South China Morning Post
30-06-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong woman arrested on suspicion of doxxing married couple
A Hong Kong woman has been arrested for allegedly disclosing the personal information of a married couple on the internet and through fliers, following a financial dispute that erupted after the husband failed to repay debts owed to her. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said on Monday that the suspect, 36, was a former friend of the man. In March, the man sent her photos of his identity card and his wife's 'Demand for Rates and/or Government Rent', an official bill for property taxes and land lease payments, via an instant messaging app to secure a loan from the suspect. However, the privacy watchdog did not reveal the amount involved. In early May, four posts demanding repayment from the couple appeared on a personal social media account. The posts allegedly included a photo of the man's identity card, revealing his Chinese and English names, Chinese commercial code, ID card number, date of birth, gender and photo.
