Europe's Largest Parking App Data Breach Exposes Thousands

According to reports, hackers were able to access the data of EasyPark’s users as a result of a cyberattack that targeted the largest parking application operator in Europe. According to the information provided by Interesting Engineering, the operator has purportedly implemented measures to promptly put an end to the situation.

It was reported by The Guardian that EasyPark Group, the company that controls brands such as RingGo and ParkMobile, asserted that the cyber-attack did not affect parking data, despite the fact that customer names, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, and sections of credit card information were stolen.

The business described the exposed details as “non-sensitive” despite the fact that hackers were able to access and steal such information. This is because no combination of the details could be utilized for making payments. Nevertheless, the company cautioned its clients to be vigilant of any attempts at phishing them.

According to the company, there were 950 RingGo users in the United Kingdom that were affected, but they did not specify how many individuals were affected. The majority of people affected are EasyPark members in Europe, as stated by a spokesman, which suggests that the information of thousands of customers has been compromised.

It has also been stated that the company has clarified that the ParkMobile app, which has fifty million users in the United States, is not affected by the data breach that has been reported happening.

EasyPark’s Efforts: Europe’s Largest Parking App Data Breach Exposes Thousands

Additional information is provided by Hackread, which states that the company has informed regulatory authorities about the cyber attack. These authorities include the privacy authority of the European Union, the Information Commissioner’s Office of Sweden, the Information Commissioner’s Office of the United Kingdom, and the Swiss data regulator.

EasyPark Group has been quoted as saying that it discovered the breach on December 10 and that it started notifying all of the customers who were affected a few days later. The corporation, on the other hand, reportedly maintained that it had not received any requests for ransom and that it was unaware of the stolen material being employed or distributed.

The EasyPark Group emphasized its dedication to providing affected customers with assistance and notification through a variety of channels, such as instant messaging, emails, and push notifications. In addition to expressing regret for the situation and expressing assurances that they will continue to work toward regaining user confidence, the company requested that customers use the application to check their current status.

On the other hand, the report additionally states that this is not the first time that EasyPark’s application has been compromised.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were among the high-profile persons whose information was compromised in a 2021 incident. Additionally, the ParkMobile App, which is focused on the United States, has been compromised in the past.

According to reports, the data breach that occurred in March 2021 was caused by vulnerabilities in the company’s third-party software. During this breach, hackers exposed the internet credentials of more than 21 million customers.

EasyPark, A Giant in Centralized Parking Systems

According to reports, the private equity firms Vitruvian Partners and Verdane are the owners of EasyPark. Their acquisition of the company from BMW and Daimler in 2021 was a successful transaction.

Its EasyPark, ParkMobile, RingGo, and Park-line programs are accessible in more than 4,000 cities across 23 countries. These cities include the United States of America, Australia, and New Zealand, in addition to the bulk of Western European countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Interesting Engineering claims that as the investigation develops, the cybersecurity breach reveals the vulnerabilities that are present in centralized parking systems. Within the context of a society that is becoming increasingly digital, it highlights the significance of robust safeguards for user data.