Cooler Master data breach exposed personal info of 500,000 customers

Taiwan-based computer hardware manufacturer Cooler Master has confirmed a data breach that exposed the personal information of over half a million customers.

Unauthorized individuals gained access to its customer data on May 19, and that it has “successfully secured their systems and enhanced overall security protocols,” Cooler Master said.

As the investigation continues, the company says it is in the process of notifying all impacted customers and will continue to provide updates and support.

Hackers lay claim to the breach

A threat actor using the handle ‘Ghostr’ told investigators at BleepingComputer that he hacked Cooler Master’s Fanzone websites on May 18, stealing 103 GB of data:

• Personal information of 500,000 customers, including names data of birth, email addresses, phone numbers and physical addresses
• Employee information and information from emails with vendors

Fanzone is a platform where Cooler Master clients can register their product and benefit from exclusive membership offers and open support tickets.

"This data breach included cooler master corporate, vendor, sales, warranty, inventory and hr data as well as over 500,000 of their fanzone members personal information, including name, address, date of birth, phone, email + plain unencrypted credit card information containing name, credit card number, expiry and 3 digits cc code," Ghostr told BleepingComputer.

BleepingComputer’s analysis of shared data samples revealed that some of the data listed by the threat actor was indeed accurate after contacting a subset of allegedly impacted customers. However, the investigators couldn’t confirm the exposure of partial credit card information because the data was not available in the samples leaked online.

While Ghostr has yet to establish a price tag on Cooler Master’s customer database, all individuals who’ve registered on the Fanzone platform should remain vigilant and stay wary of phishing attempts that could leverage their personal information.

Data breach victims can also enhance their security and gain peace of mind by opting for Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection. Our dedicated identity protection service offers:

· 24/7 data breach monitoring

· Real-time notifications if your data is found in any data breach

· Details reports and export guidance

You also get a complete overview of your online footprint, and the industry's first Identity Protection Score, which helps you quickly understand the extent of a data breach and how it can impact your online safety, privacy and finances.