Ride-sharing application Careem revealed on Monday that a data breach had occurred at the organisation in January.
The Dubai-based network posted a blog on its website claiming,
“Careem has identified a cyber incident involving unauthorised access to the system we use to store data.”
The attack occurred on the 14th of January, and Careem revealed that the names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers and trip data of nearly 14 million customers had been compromised.
Careem’s statement further read,
“While we have seen no evidence of fraud or misuse related to this incident, it is our responsibility to be open and honest with you, and to reaffirm our commitment to protecting your privacy and data.”
Moreover, local media in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) revealed that Careem became aware of the attack when the hacker left a message on Careem’s system.
Careem said that there was no proof that the hackers had access to peoples’ passwords or credit card information.
Careem also assured customers that it was doing all it could to rectify the hack and protect customers’ data.
The statement read,
“As soon as we detected the breach, we launched a thorough investigation and engaged leading cybersecurity experts to assist us in strengthening our security systems. We are also working with law enforcement agencies.”
“Throughout the incident, our priority has been to protect the data and privacy of our customers and captains. Since discovering the issue, we have worked to understand what happened, who was affected, and what we needed to do to strengthen our network defences.”
Careem also apologised for the breach and said the experience would only make the organisation stronger.
“We apologise for what has happened but rest assured, Careem has learned from this experience and will come out of it a stronger and more resilient organisation. We remain dedicated to our mission of supporting the millions of captains and customers in the region who depend on Careem to earn a living and get around.”
Apps like Uber and Careem have revolutionised transport and mobility in Pakistan in recent years, especially for women.
However, both ride-hailing apps have been rocked by recent scandals including reports of threats to passengers and drivers.