Nearly 300,000 customers' information was exposed in the Avis Rent A Car cyberattack.

The latest cyberattack has negatively impacted Avis Rent A Car, a major car rental company.

One of the company's business applications was found to have been breached by intruders, as admitted by the New Jersey-based firm.

Hackers have obtained personal information and driver's license numbers of hundreds of thousands of people due to a security incident.

Details about the cyberattack

Around 300,000 individuals are being notified by Avis that their personal information and driver's license numbers were compromised in an August cyberattack.

"On August 5, 2024, an unauthorized third party gained access to one of our business applications. After becoming aware of the incident, we immediately took steps to end the unauthorized access, began an investigation with assistance from cybersecurity experts, and alerted the relevant authorities. Based on our investigation, we determined that the unauthorized access occurred between August 3, 2024, and August 6, 2024."

The car rental company, Avis, did not disclose the nature of the cyberattack, but it did reveal that the stolen information included customer names, mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, credit card numbers and expiration dates, and driver’s license numbers.

Texas residents are most affected

In Texas, 34,592 people were affected by the Avis data breach, making it the state with the most impacted residents, according to a report to Maine's attorney general that showed 299,006 people have been affected so far.

Despite owning rental locations in over 180 countries and storing a vast amount of customer data, Avis failed to take adequate measures to safeguard against the data breach.

The company's response

The company promptly terminated the intrusion and initiated a comprehensive investigation with external cybersecurity experts after discovering unauthorized access on Aug. 5, 2024. Avis has started notifying affected customers and filed data breach notices with various U.S. attorneys general, providing one year of free credit monitoring services to those impacted.

The company is improving its security protocols and implementing safeguards across its systems while being transparent about the types of compromised data and the duration of the breach.

There are concerns about the effectiveness of Avis's data protection practices and cybersecurity protocol oversight.

We attempted to contact Avis for a statement, but did not receive a response before our deadline.

Six ways to protect yourself from data breaches

Keep a close eye on your accounts and transactions after the Avis data breach, which revealed your credit card number and expiration date, putting you at risk of financial theft. If you have been affected, regularly check your online accounts and transactions for any suspicious activity and report any unusual findings to the service provider or authorities. Additionally, review your credit reports and scores to detect any signs of identity theft or fraud.

Inform your bank and credit card companies that hackers have obtained your bank or credit card information, which could be used to make purchases or withdrawals without your consent. They can assist you in freezing or canceling your cards, disputing any fraudulent charges, and issuing new cards for you.

3. Protect your personal data from scammers: Your personal data is at risk due to a data breach. Invest in personal data removal services that specialize in monitoring and removing your information from online databases and websites. I previously mentioned that hackers also stole driver's licenses, which can be used to validate the data. This ID can be misused in many ways, including impersonation. Discover my top picks for data removal services here.

Beware of mailbox scams: Malicious actors can use snail mail to deceive you, thanks to the data leak that exposes your address. They may pose as individuals or brands you recognize and employ urgent themes, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions, and security alerts, to trick you.

Be cautious of phishing scams: Cybercriminals may attempt to deceive you into disclosing personal information through fraudulent emails or messages that appear to be from Avis. Avoid clicking on questionable links or providing sensitive information unless you are certain the request is legitimate.

To safeguard yourself from malicious links and protect your private information, it is recommended to install antivirus software on all your devices. This software can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Here are my top picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

Protect yourself from identity theft by using a service that monitors your personal information, alerts you of any suspicious activity, and assists you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts. Check out my tips and recommendations for the best identity theft protection services.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Another company, Avis, has joined the growing list of those affected by data breaches, putting customer information at risk. This is becoming increasingly common, and big corporations don't seem to be learning from their mistakes. It's clear that protecting customer data isn't their top priority, so it's important to take matters into your own hands. Be cautious when clicking on links and consider investing in data removal and identity theft protection services to protect your personal information online.

Are companies doing enough to safeguard your personal information, or are they disregarding their duties? Share your thoughts with us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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