iDealwine Breach Has the Ability to Affect Customers Internationally
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- By Steven
- Published: Oct 20, 2022
- Last Updated: Oct 21, 2022
iDealwine is a French company specializing in online auctions and fixed-price fine wine sales. iDealwine has offices in London and Hong Kong but administers its services worldwide. The breach affects customers worldwide, but we aren't sure of the exact number.
How Did the Attack Occur?
At the time of writing, iDealwine has not released the method of the breach. According to Help Net Security, this breach may have been a ransomware attack. iDealwine has urged customers to be careful, warning them of unsolicited phone calls and phishing attacks that the victims may receive in their emails or mail. The company released a statement on its blog: "Do not open emails or attachments if you have any doubts about their source, and do not click on any links you are unsure of. Please contact us if you have any doubts or questions, our team is fully mobilised to assist you. "
What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?
The stolen information includes the names, emails, phone numbers, and addresses of the victims. iDealwine has promised customers that their credit or debit card information was completely unaffected by the data breach, as iDealwine did not store such data on the website itself. The company also said that passwords were encrypted and untouched, but they recommended that users change them to be on the safe side.
How Did iDealwine Admit to the Breach?
iDealwine admitted through its blog about the breach. The company's website has since been taken down, leaving wine buyers to find somewhere else to shop for Sunday dinner's perfect pairing. There is an explanation on the site; iDealwine first wrote its statement in French, then in English, which is unsurprising, considering the company is based in France.
What Will Become of the Stolen Information?
Considering that the breach involved no financial information in the violation, that's probably not something that affected customers should worry about affecting them. However, the victims' identification and contact information remain in the hands of the bad actor. The hacker could sell it or use it, depending on their whim of the moment. The median price of a million US addresses on the black market is 25 USD, while 1.5 million UK addresses sell for 100 USD.
What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?
In the aftermath of the breach, there are steps that victims, and even those unaffected, can take. Just because this breach did not impact your information doesn't mean you won't be affected in the future, putting you and your family in danger. There are softwares you can use to protect your devices; ergo, the information on your device is also covered. While none of these softwares have proven foolproof, taking a few steps to make it far harder for malicious actors is better than becoming a sitting duck. It is exponentially easier to hack into your device if you have no firewalls or protection as proverbial speedbumps.