Data Breach: Audio Giant boAt Launches Probe (Image: boAt)Homegrown electronics brand boAt has reportedly suffered a massive data breach recently. On April 6, Forbes India reported that the customer data for over 7.5 million boAt customers had been compromised and appeared on the dark web. The latest media reports indicate that the company has launched an investigation into the possible data breach.
As per the Forbes India report, private data, including the name, address, contact number, email ID, and customer ID of boAt customers, is available for purchase on the dark web. The breach was carried out by a hacker known as ShopifyGUY. Notably, the threat actor has reportedly leaked around 2GB of data on the dark web forum. Forbes India has also verified the information by speaking to some of the boAt customers who bought Boat products in the past few months.
Meanwhile, in a statement emailed to TechCrunch, the company said that it was investigating the incident. “boAt is aware of recent claims regarding a potential data leak involving customer information,” said India’s largest audio and wearables brand in the statement. The homegrown brand also added that they have taken the claims seriously and have “immediately” initiated a detailed investigation.
Rakesh Krishnan, senior threat analyst at NetEnrich, told Forbes India that hackers might have gained access to the boAt customer database at least one month ago.
The brand, which offers a wide range of wireless speakers, earbuds, and earphones, was founded in 2016 by Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta. It is worth mentioning that Aman Gupta has been one of the most popular judges in the Shark Tank India series. The Gurugram-based audio giant is one of the leading brands in the consumer electronics industry. Forbes India, citing an IDC report, mentioned that the company has emerged as the second most popular wearable brand in the third quarter of 2023.