The hacker warns that it is not possible to use the data to steal funds. American Express suggests that the attack has not directly affected its customers.
There was leakage of data of 10,000 American Express credit card users in Mexico as a result of a cyberattack. The hacker warned that the list does not include sensitive information that would allow the theft of funds. He added that this information is available for free on a dark web forum. According to the website, the hacker could have more bank details of users of the Santander and Banamex banks.
The information became public on the Twitter account of cybersecurity analyst Bank Security. In his post, the hacker says that the disclosure of the data is for marketing and spam purposes only. Furthermore, he states that he could reveal more users´ information from two other Mexican banks in the future.
The information available on the dark website includes full credit card account numbers, names, complete e-mail, and home addresses, contact numbers, dates of birth, and other personal identity information.
An analysis by BleepComputer indicates that there is no information on passwords, card expiration dates, or other information that would allow withdrawing funds directly.
The hacker mentioned this fact on the forum where the list is available. “I do not sell private data such as password, card information, and identification number. The data that I sell or share only exposes you to spam or marketing.”
American Express has not yet confirmed or denied any loss of funds for its customers in Mexico as a result of the data breach. Also, a statement that shows that they shared with BleepComputer indicates that the company had already been a victim of hackers in 2014 and 2016. “We are aware of the reports and will continue to investigate. We have nothing else to share at this time, but if we find evidence of fraudulent activity, we will take appropriate precautionary measures,” American Express concludes. This global service company urges its customers to contact the entity to change their cards or account passwords to protect themselves against future fraudulent acts.
Hackers and Ransomware in Mexico
This is not the first time that hackers have targeted financial institutions in Mexico. Between 2019 and 2020, CIBanco suffered at least two ransomware attacks. This form of hacking hijacks information from victims’ computers or servers to demand a ransom. At the time, hackers threatened to expose the data if they did not receive the payment that they were demanding.
According to a study by research firm Forrest Consulting, 9 out of 10 companies in Mexico and Brazil have suffered some type of cyber-attack at some point. The survey included more than 100 Mexican companies, of which at least 70% suffered four attacks in a 12-month period.
By Alexander Salazar
