> JapanHacked_
[Resolved][Severity: Major][Credential abuse]

Nikkei (Hong Kong): six mail accounts left on a default password were taken over, and mail from 1,644 customers was forwarded to outsiders

Six mail accounts with weak passwords were entered and forwarding rules sent customers' mail to outside addresses.

Disclosed

2021-03-17

Organizations involved

1

Leaked or at risk

1.6K

1,644

Downtime

Unknown

What happened

  1. The company disclosed unauthorized access at its Hong Kong unit. Mail accounts had been misused since around October 2020. [1] [2] [4]

  2. The Hong Kong privacy regulator announced it would start a review of the case. [3]

Impact

Forwarding rules were set on six mail accounts that still had a weak default password, and mail from 1,644 customers went to two unknown addresses. Data on 24 corporate cards was also included. [1] [2] [5]

The Hong Kong privacy regulator's investigation also found these password-management weaknesses. [6]

Timeline

  1. Disclosed 2021-03-17
  2. 1 days

Attack or cause

Method
[Credential abuse]
Impact
[Data leak]
Entry point
Stolen credentials

Data exposed or at risk

[Name][E-mail address][Postal address][Phone number][Employment][Payment card]

Organizations involved

Open in organization search

Sources

  1. [1][Official]本社香港法人への不正アクセスについてNikkei · 2021-03-17
  2. [2][News]本社香港法人に不正アクセス 1644件の情報流出かNikkei · 2021-03-17
  3. [3][Official]私隱專員就日經電郵系統遭入侵事件展開循規審查Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong · 2021-03-18
  4. [4][News]約5カ月間、海外現地法人や海外支局に不正アクセス - 日経新聞Security NEXT · 2021-03-18
  5. [5][News]日経香港法人へ不正アクセス、カード情報含む個人情報が流出した可能性ScanNetSecurity · 2021-03-19 08:00
  6. [6][Official]Investigation Report (Nikkei)Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong