Recently, Ticketmaster, a US concert ticket seller that also operates in Austria, became the victim of a hacker attack that has the potential to impact up to 560 million customers. The breach was disclosed by Live Nation Entertainment, Ticketmaster’s parent company, to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday.
The hacker group known as ShinyHunters had publicized their cyberattack on Ticketmaster on the dark web, offering to sell data from 560 million customers, including sensitive information like their names, addresses, and credit card details. The group demanded a ransom of $500,000. Live Nation assured that they are working to mitigate the risks associated with the breach and are cooperating with law enforcement agencies. They believe the incident will not significantly impact their business or financial status.
Ticketmaster was acquired by Live Nation in 2010, establishing itself as a prominent player in the live event industry globally. The company has faced criticism in the US over the years due to its service fees and ticket pricing practices. Recently, the US Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation, accusing them of monopolistic behavior to raise ticket prices and eliminate competition.
Following the breach, Australia initiated an investigation into the incident while FBI offered its support. ShinyHunters gained notoriety in 2020 for releasing large amounts of customer data from numerous companies online. A member of the group was convicted in the US earlier this year and ordered to pay hefty fines.
In addition to Ticketmaster, Australian ticket provider Ticketek also suffered a cyberattack although no information regarding data leak is available yet . Australian government warned that significant number of Australians could be impacted by this breach
