Allianz Life Data Breach: 1.1 Million Customers’ Data Exposed
▼ Summary
– A cyber-attack on Allianz Life exposed personal information of about 1.1 million customers, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers.
– The breach targeted a cloud-based CRM system and is part of a larger campaign against companies using Salesforce-hosted databases.
– The incident has been linked to the hacking group ShinyHunters, known for social engineering tactics to gain unauthorized access.
– Attackers reportedly used malicious OAuth applications to infiltrate Salesforce instances and download company databases.
– Allianz Life is providing two years of identity monitoring services to affected individuals while the investigation continues.
A significant cybersecurity incident at Allianz Life has compromised the personal information of approximately 1.1 million individuals, according to recent data published by Have I Been Pwned. The breach, which occurred in July, targeted a cloud-based customer relationship management platform and forms part of a broader attack campaign aimed at organizations using Salesforce-hosted databases.
The compromised data includes highly sensitive details such as names, dates of birth, gender, email and physical addresses, and phone numbers. In official state filings, the company further confirmed that Social Security numbers were also accessed during the intrusion. Allianz Life, a U.S.-based subsidiary of the German insurance giant Allianz SE, indicated that the breach impacted the “majority” of its 1.4 million customers, financial advisors, and employees.
Security experts have attributed the attack to the notorious hacking collective known as ShinyHunters, a group recently linked to high-profile breaches at companies including Google, Qantas, and Workday. The group is recognized for its use of social engineering techniques, often deceiving employees into granting unauthorized system access through phone and email-based manipulation.
Jon Abbott, CEO of ThreatAware, emphasized the severity of the incident, stating, “The stolen personal information of 1.1 million customers is significant. The sensitive and valuable information held in CRM tools is exactly why it’s targeted by attackers.” He further explained that such data is frequently exploited in identity theft and phishing campaigns, posing ongoing risks to affected individuals.
Investigations into the breach methodology suggest that malicious OAuth applications were used to infiltrate Salesforce instances, enabling the attackers to exfiltrate extensive databases. In the case of Allianz, leaked files are reported to contain millions of records belonging not only to policyholders but also to financial advisors and partner organizations.
Allianz Life has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the updated figures, citing an ongoing internal investigation. The company has, however, committed to offering two years of identity monitoring services to those impacted by the breach.
Abbott stressed the importance of foundational security practices in light of such incidents, noting that accurate asset inventories, tamper-proof identity verification, and reinforced service desk protocols are critical defensive measures.
This breach is the latest in a string of high-profile cyberattacks this year, raising renewed concerns about the security of cloud-based systems that underpin much of the financial and technology sectors.
(Source: InfoSecurity Magazine)
