Uber is responding to security risks after a hacker — identified only by the Telegram handle Tea Pot — purportedly gained control of the company's computer network.
The hacker reportedly gained access to Uber's HackerOne account — a platform that helps companies connect with security researchers. However, on Friday, Uber said they found "no evidence" of the hacker having accessed any sensitive user data.
The timing of this hack — which comes as Uber's former security chief is on trial for his disastrous response to the 2016 breach — is ironic. It also reveals that Uber, which has a responsibility to educate its employees on social engineering threats, continues to prove careless with the safety of its data.
A social engineering hack relies on human error rather than vulnerabilities in systems, which is what makes it a particularly dangerous threat that no company is immune to. Rather than jumping to conclusions and playing the blame-game, this should serve as a warning to all of us.