Ford Motor Company has firmly dismissed claims of a recent data breach, stating that its systems and customer data remain uncompromised.
The alleged breach, which surfaced on BreachForums, was attributed to third-party data and publicly available records, Ford clarified after an extensive investigation.
Alleged Data Breach Sparks Investigation
The controversy began when a known leaker operating under the alias “EnergyWeaponUser” posted on BreachForums, claiming to share an internal Ford database.
The leaker alleged that the breach exposed approximately 44,000 records, including customer names, addresses, product purchase details, and more.
In the forum post, the leaker stated, “Today, I have uploaded the Ford Motor Company internal database for you to download, thanks for reading and enjoy!” They further claimed the data included customer types, sales details, and account codes.
The claim prompted Ford to launch an immediate investigation. A spokesperson, Richard Binhammer, initially told the media, “Ford is aware and is actively investigating the allegations there has been a breach of Ford data. Our investigation is active and ongoing.”
Investigation Results: No Breach Detected
Following the investigation, Ford concluded that its systems were not compromised. Instead, the company identified the data as belonging to a third-party supplier and largely comprised publicly available business addresses of dealerships.
In a statement shared with BleepingComputer, Ford emphasized, “Ford’s investigation has determined that there was no breach of Ford’s systems or customer data. The matter involved a third-party supplier and a small batch of publicly available dealers’ business addresses. It is our understanding that the matter has now been resolved.”
Doubts Around the Data’s Authenticity
The leaked sample posted on BreachForums contained a mix of business and customer-related information, including:
- Names
- Postal addresses
- Country and city codes
- Sales types
- Account codes
- Update timestamps
While the leaker’s actions raised eyebrows, the data’s authenticity as a Ford-exclusive database remains questionable. Experts believe the hacker’s willingness to release the data for a nominal fee—approximately two dollars—further supports Ford’s explanation.
