By Anjali Sharma
NEW YORK – The global cloud technology giant Salesforce on Wednesday said that millions of records may be at risk after hackers claim a massive Salesforce breach.
Salesforce wrote on its website, “Imagine waking up one morning to find that your name, phone number, and birthday; details you barely think about, are now in the hands of hackers. Not just yours, but possibly a billion others”
That is the chilling claim circulating in the tech world after cybercriminals reportedly targeted global cloud technology giant Salesforce stealing what could be one of the largest troves of personal data in history.
According to multiple online reports, hackers linked to a recent wave of ransomware attacks on major British retailers have announced that they’ve accessed almost one billion records from Salesforce.
The criminals claim to have exploited vulnerabilities in companies that use Salesforce software. It is a platform trusted by countless brands to manage customer data.
If these claims are true, the scale is jaw-dropping. Personal details allegedly stolen include names, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and loyalty program information.
The experts warned that even this kind of information is enough to fuel phishing scams and identity theft on a massive scale.
The hackers alleged that their loot includes customer data from some of the world’s most recognizable companies Adidas, Cisco, Disney, Google, IKEA, Pandora, Toyota, and several others.
Many of these brands rely on Salesforce for handling millions of customer interactions daily making them prime targets for criminals hunting for large data pools.
Salesforce hasn’t confirmed any breach yet, but the claims have set off alarms across the cybersecurity world.
If even part of the information turns out to be real, the implications could be enormous; not just for corporations but for ordinary users who his isn’t the first time we’ve heard such chilling news.
The group allegedly behind the Salesforce-linked attacks is believed to be an offshoot of the LAPSUS$ cybercrime network, the same shadowy organization responsible for hacking major companies like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Okta in previous years.
Security experts tracking this splinter group, reportedly designated UNC6040 by trusted these brands with their personal data.
Google’s Threat Intelligence team, say they specialize in social engineering, the art of tricking people rather than systems.
Instead of cracking codes, they manipulate human behaviour, convincing employees to unknowingly give up access credentials.
The similar group allegedly hit Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, and Jaguar Land Rover.
These are high-profile British companies that rely heavily on online services and digital customer management systems.
The experts warned that when it comes to human error, even companies with advanced security tools are still vulnerable. Social engineering, phishing emails or even a single employee falling for a fake login page; all these can give hackers the keys to entire databases.
The alleged Salesforce breach has already reignited global debates. People have started discussing cloud security and privacy regulation. Governments are very likely to demand stricter compliance checks. And in the meantime, companies will face increasing pressure to prove that their systems can safeguard consumer trust.
But for the everyday internet user, the takeaway is clear. Your personal data is valuable. Treat it like gold.
They added that because in the digital world, information is currency, and in the wrong hands, that currency can cost you more than money.
