A cybercriminal claims to have breached Temu and stolen millions of customer records, but the e-commerce giant vehemently denies the allegations.
A hacker with the alias 'smokinthashit' hacked into BreachForums, one of the most popular underground forums, and announced a new database, allegedly stolen from the company.
“Temu company database for sale. Over 87 million lines. Source: temu.com. The data has never been sold before. Only one copy will be sold,” the ad reads.
It's all fake, says Temu
The announcement also included a small sample, as proof of the database's authenticity. The sample apparently contains usernames and ID numbers, IP addresses, full names, birth dates, gender, shipping addresses, phone numbers, and encrypted passwords. If the file turns out to be authentic, it would put many people at risk of identity theft, phishing fraud, and more.
But whether the file is authentic or not remains to be seen. In a statement given to Computer beepingTemu denied the allegations of data theft and said nothing in the database belongs to the company:
“The Temu security team has conducted a thorough investigation into the alleged data breach and can confirm that the allegations are categorically false; the data circulating does not originate from our systems. Not a single line of data matches our transaction records,” Temu told the publication.
“At Temu, the security and privacy of our users is paramount. We follow industry-leading practices in data protection and cybersecurity, ensuring that consumers can shop with confidence on our platform.”
Temu is right to be dismissive, especially if the claims are false. Sometimes, even the mention of a company in the context of a data breach is enough to make consumers stay away and thus negatively affect the company's bottom line. And with an up-and-coming e-commerce platform like Temu, a squeaky-clean image is critical to success.
Temu is an online marketplace offering a wide range of products, from clothing and electronics to household items, at very competitive prices. It is a Chinese company, with a global presence, and sources products directly from manufacturers. The platform is designed to appeal to budget-conscious consumers looking for deals across a range of categories. Since its launch, Temu has grown rapidly, leveraging a similar model to other discount e-commerce platforms.
Through Computer beeping
