Source – Bleeping Computer
A notorious hacking group, ShinyHunters, has claimed responsibility for breaching Ticketmaster’s systems and is offering the stolen data of 560 million customers for sale. Multiple reports, including an initial report by Hackread.com on Tuesday, confirm the breach. ShinyHunters has listed 1.3 terabytes of Live Nation-owned Ticketmaster customer data on Breach Forums, a platform linked to cybercrime activities, for a one-time price of $500,000.
The stolen data includes a vast amount of sensitive information from Ticketmaster customers. Hackread.com reports that the breach compromised full names, addresses, phone numbers, expiration dates, and the last four digits of impacted users’ credit card numbers. This substantial security lapse has prompted immediate concerns from various authorities. The Australian government’s National Office of Cyber Security is engaging with Ticketmaster to understand the incident, as confirmed by a government spokesperson to AFP. Additionally, the FBI has offered assistance to Australian authorities investigating the breach, according to a spokesperson from the U.S. embassy.
ShinyHunters’ Cybercrime History and Immediate Fallout
ShinyHunters is not new to the cybercrime scene. Cyberdaily.au highlighted that the group has previously released customer data from major companies such as Microsoft, AT&T, and Home Chef. This history underscores the severity and credibility of their claims regarding the Ticketmaster breach. The impact of this breach was immediate and significant. The day following the report, Ticketmaster and Live Nation were hit with a class action lawsuit filed by customers over the alleged data breach, as reported by Bloomberg Law.
The lawsuit adds another layer of legal trouble for the companies. FOX Business has reached out to both Ticketmaster and Live Nation for comments on the breach and the subsequent lawsuit but has yet to receive a response. The breach and the lawsuit contribute to a series of ongoing issues for the companies, further complicating their public and legal standing.
Ongoing Legal Battles and Corporate Responses
The data breach and resulting lawsuit compound the legal challenges facing Ticketmaster and Live Nation. Just last week, the U.S. Department of Justice and 30 state attorneys general filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against the companies, accusing them of “monopolistic control” over the live events industry. This legal action suggests significant scrutiny and pressure from governmental bodies.
In response to the antitrust lawsuit, Live Nation Entertainment issued a statement to FOX Business, asserting that the DOJ’s claims are more about public relations than legal substance. The company stated, “Calling Ticketmaster a monopoly may be a PR win for the DOJ in the short term, but it will lose in court because it ignores the basic economics of live entertainment, such as the fact that the bulk of service fees go to venues, and that competition has steadily eroded Ticketmaster’s market share and profit margin.”
The combined effects of the data breach, customer lawsuit, and antitrust allegations place Ticketmaster and Live Nation under intense scrutiny and legal pressure. The unfolding situation will likely have significant implications for their operations and reputation in the live entertainment industry.
