EasyPark Group, the largest parking app operator in Europe, encountered a significant data breach impacting its customers across the continent, including the UK. This breach compromised a multitude of personal data, including names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and partial credit card details. Although the breach did not expose entire credit card numbers, cautionary measures against potential phishing attempts were advised by the company.
The breach discovery on December 10th, 2023, triggered immediate action by EasyPark Group, prompting notifications to affected users and regulatory bodies across Europe. The company reported the breach to several privacy regulators, including the EU’s privacy regulator and the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office, highlighting the gravity of the incident. While the EasyPark-owned ParkMobile app in the US remained unaffected, the RingGo app experienced repercussions due to its technological connections with EasyPark’s systems.
The breach, reminiscent of a prior 2021 ParkMobile incident, raised concerns about data security within parking services. Notably, the breach exposed prominent figures like Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs, underscoring the breach’s scale and potential ramifications. Although the extent of affected users was undisclosed, most impacts were concentrated in Europe, with approximately 950 RingGo app users affected in the UK.
Despite no ransom demands or evident data misuse, the breach emphasizes the growing risks customers face when entrusting personal and financial information to digital platforms, necessitating heightened vigilance and security awareness among users. The incident marks an alarming trend in parking service security breaches, prompting concerns about user data safety in such platforms.
