Aman Gupta’s ‘boAt’ in hot waters as data of 7.5 million customers leaked: Report

• ByStartupStory     |    April 8, 2024

In a concerning development for one of India’s leading wearable technology brands, ‘boAt,’ reports have surfaced indicating a significant data breach. According to Forbes India, personal information belonging to approximately 7.5 million boAt customers has been compromised and is now allegedly up for sale on the dark web, posing serious risks of exploitation by cybercriminals.

The leaked data purportedly includes sensitive details such as customers’ names, addresses, contact numbers, email IDs, and customer IDs, potentially exposing them to various forms of cyber threats. The gravity of the situation is compounded by the revelation that the hacker behind the breach, going by the moniker ‘ShopifyGUY,’ has claimed responsibility for sharing the data on the dark web.

boAt, spearheaded by its tech-savvy founder Aman Gupta, has emerged as a prominent player in India’s wearable technology market, boasting a commanding market share of 26 percent. Specializing in smartwatches, headphones, and true wireless earbuds, the company has garnered substantial consumer trust and loyalty over the years. However, this latest breach raises serious concerns not only about the security of customer data but also about the potential implications for their privacy and well-being.

Of particular worry is the possibility that health-related data, stemming from boAt’s smartwatches, might also have been compromised, exacerbating the risks associated with the breach. As India undergoes rapid digitalization, incidents of massive data breaches have become alarmingly common, with the country witnessing a surge in cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

This latest breach comes on the heels of a previous incident where personal identifiable information of around 815 million Indians was reportedly leaked on the dark web. The revelation prompted an investigation by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following the discovery by a hacker known as “pwn0001.”

The leaked data from the earlier breach included sensitive details such as names, father’s names, phone numbers, passport numbers, Aadhaar numbers, and ages, raising serious concerns about the adequacy of data protection measures in the country. The recurrence of such breaches underscores the urgent need for stricter regulation of tech companies and their handling of customer data in India.

As of now, boAt has refrained from issuing any official statement regarding the reported data breach, leaving customers and stakeholders anxiously awaiting further clarification and reassurance regarding the security of their personal information. Nonetheless, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat posed by cybercriminals and the imperative for robust data protection mechanisms to safeguard individuals’ privacy and security in an increasingly digitized world.

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