New Zealand Archives

Global Car Rental Giant Hertz Notifies Customers Data Breach

October 15, 2024

Car rental giant Hertz notified its customers of a data breach. The rental company said the breach relates to a cyberattack on one of its vendors between October 2024 and December 2024.

The stolen data varies by region, but largely includes Hertz customer names, dates of birth, contact information, driver’s licenses, payment card information, and workers’ compensation claims. Hertz said a smaller number of customers had their Social Security numbers taken in the breach, along with other government-issued identification numbers.

Notices on Hertz’s websites disclosed the breach to customers in Australia, Canada, the European Union, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Hertz also disclosed the breach with several U.S. states, including California, Maine, and Texas. Emily Spencer, a spokesperson for Hertz, would not provide TechCrunch with a specific number of individuals affected by the breach but said it would be “inaccurate to say millions” of customers are affected.

Ransomware Attack at NZ Compass Communications

December 13, 2024

The RA World ransomware group has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack targeting Auckland-based telecommunications provider Compass Communications. According to RA World’s darknet leak site, the group alleges it has stolen 250 gigabytes of data, including financial records, customer details, human resources files, and project-related information. Although the group has not disclosed a ransom amount, it has set a payment deadline of January 1, 2025.

Compass Communications confirmed the breach in a statement.

Ransomware Attack at New Zealand Auxo Software Company

February 13, 2024

Confidential client information has been stolen in a cyberattack and blackmail attempt by overseas hackers against Software company Auxo.
Auxo software is used in 50 per cent of vehicle workshops nationwide, and at 40 per cent of NZ vehicle dealers.

Auxo – which is wholly owned by the Motor Trade Association (MTA) – will not say how many clients may have been affected nor how much the ransom demand was for.

Yakult Australia Confirmed Australian and New Zealand IT Systems Were Impacted

December 28, 2023

Iconic probiotic company Yakult Australia has been hit by a significant cyber attack that has seen its company records and sensitive employee documents, such as passports, published on the dark web.

The DragonForce group has claimed responsibility for the breach. A sample of the 95 gigabytes of data leaked, analysed by ABC Investigations, found company records dating back to 2001.

Large Amount of Data Leaked after at New Zealand Manufacturer Refused to Pay

June 6, 2020

Fisher & Paykel Appliances has confirmed it has fallen victim to a damaging ransomware attack. The Auckland-based whiteware manufacturer, which is owned by China’s Haier, was targeted by a malware program called Nefilim. They refused to pay and they suffered a large data leak.

Cyberattack and Potentional Data Breach at Nissan Oceania

December 5, 2023

Japanese automobile manufacturer Nissan announced that its Australia and New Zealand arm suffered a significant cyber security incident that affected the company’ daily operations. The company informed customers of its Nissan Oceania division of a potential data breach, warning them that there is a risk of scams in the upcoming days. The company did not share details about the attack or its scope. The problems suffered by the company suggest that its systems were infected with ransomware.

The carmaker warned that some dealer systems will be impacted despite local dealerships continue to operate.

$1M Ransom Demanded of Auckland Transport

September 13, 2023

The Auckland Transport (AT) transportation authority in New Zealand is dealing with a widespread outage caused by a cyber incident, impacting a wide range of customer services. The company announced that it is experiencing issues with its HOP services (integrated ticketing and fares system).

Auckland Transport dismissed a claim by Medusa hacker group, that it will release data at 8pm Tuesday from the agency’s ticketing system. AT said it would not be engaging, and believed no financial data had been lost.

Hackers Attack NZ & Aust for Joining Gulf Taskforce

January 1, 1998

WIZARD SPIDER is a sophisticated eCrime group that has been operating the Ryuk ransomware since August 2018, targeting large organizations for a high-ransom return. This methodology, known as “big game hunting,” signals a shift in operations for WIZARD SPIDER. This actor is a Russia-based criminal group known for the operation of the TrickBot banking malware that had focused primarily on wire fraud in the past.

Environmental Southland Target of Cyber Vandals

January 1, 2009

WIZARD SPIDER is a sophisticated eCrime group that has been operating the Ryuk ransomware since August 2018, targeting large organizations for a high-ransom return. This methodology, known as “big game hunting,” signals a shift in operations for WIZARD SPIDER. This actor is a Russia-based criminal group known for the operation of the TrickBot banking malware that had focused primarily on wire fraud in the past.