Tesla CEO's Social Security Number Among Personal Information Leaked in Data Breach

Tesla encountered a significant data breach in May that affected more than 75,000 individuals due to "insider wrongdoing," according to the company. The breach was initially reported by the German publication Handelsblatt and exposed personal information of current and former employees, as well as customer complaints related to Tesla vehicles. The breach encompassed an extensive range of data spanning from 2015 to 2022, totaling 100 gigabytes in size. The exposed information included employee names, contact details such as addresses, phone numbers, and emails, and even the social security number of Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk.

The leaked data also contained around 2,400 customer complaints concerning sudden acceleration issues and 1,500 complaints regarding braking problems, including instances of "phantom braking." Tesla disclosed that the breach was the result of actions by two former employees who violated the company's IT security and data protection policies. Although the stolen data was shared with the media outlet, they asserted that they had no intention of publishing the personal information due to legal restrictions.

Tesla took legal action in response, leading to the seizure of devices containing the stolen information and obtaining court orders to prevent further dissemination or misuse of the data. Investigations into the breach confirmed that it impacted a total of 75,735 individuals. The breach highlighted the significance of insider threats and the importance of robust security measures to safeguard sensitive data. The incident underscored the need for organizations to continuously monitor and enhance their cybersecurity protocols to mitigate the risks associated with data breaches and insider misconduct.