March 31, 2015 By Douglas Bonderud 2 min read

Looking for a nearly free ride? According to The Hacker News, thanks to an alleged Uber security breach, two separate users on the Dark Web marketplace AlphaBay are offering stolen Uber accounts for less than $5. The users, Courvoisier and ThinkingForward, say they have thousands of legitimate, active accounts for sale, while the company itself denies any breach took place. So what’s the real story?

Quite the Trip

This all started just a few weeks ago, when the accounts and a guide for black-market Uber users to avoid getting caught suddenly appeared on AlphaBay. While it’s possible the offerings aren’t real, The Register reports that Courvoisier has sold more than 3,000 accounts in total, while Motherboard notes that satisfied buyers have commented on the “speedy delivery” and say the credentials work perfectly.

What comes with a stolen Uber account? Both the $1 and $5 versions include access to payment details, allowing purchasers to order rides and charge them to original account owners. More worrisome, however, is the access to the other data Uber’s app routinely collects, such as users’ partial credit card data, trip history, email address, phone numbers and home and work addresses, if available.

In other words, this is all the information needed to not only book free rides but potentially make life very difficult for original account owners, many of whom don’t even know they’ve been hacked. Motherboard contacted several account owners after being provided with sample credentials from the AlphaBay sellers and was able to confirm they are genuine.

The Fault in Our Cars

So who is to blame for this Uber security breach? In a prepared statement, the ride sharing company claimed it “found no evidence of a breach.” This is tough to swallow, however, given the recent Uber data breach that put more than 50,000 driver accounts at risk because a private security key was left on a public GitHub page.

While the more recent account issues may not be Uber’s fault, the company’s track record isn’t exactly stellar. One user contacted did admit his Amazon and Uber logins were identical, suggesting cybercriminals may have breached personal security rather than Uber’s corporate defenses, but either way, the outcome is the same. Those willing to shop on the Dark Web can get nearly free Uber trips on the back of legitimate account holders.

No matter who is responsible, users need to change their login information and make sure no extra trips have been taken on their credit cards. On Uber’s end, it’s likely the company won’t be able to ignore this issue, even if its network security is up to snuff. With users and drivers increasingly worried they’re being taken for a ride, Uber needs to find a way to slow cybercriminals’ roll.

More from

Research finds 56% increase in active ransomware groups

4 min read - Any good news is welcomed when evaluating cyber crime trends year-over-year. Over the last two years, IBM’s Threat Index Reports have provided some minor reprieve in this area by showing a gradual decline in the prevalence of ransomware attacks — now accounting for only 17% of all cybersecurity incidents compared to 21% in 2021. Unfortunately, it’s too early to know if this trendline will continue. A recent report released by Searchlight Cyber shows that there has been a 56% increase in…

Cybersecurity dominates concerns among the C-suite, small businesses and the nation

4 min read - Once relegated to the fringes of business operations, cybersecurity has evolved into a front-and-center concern for organizations worldwide. What was once considered a technical issue managed by IT departments has become a boardroom topic of utmost importance. With the rise of sophisticated cyberattacks, the growing use of generative AI by threat actors and massive data breach costs, it is no longer a question of whether cybersecurity matters but how deeply it affects every facet of modern operations.The 2024 Allianz Risk…

Autonomous security for cloud in AWS: Harnessing the power of AI for a secure future

3 min read - As the digital world evolves, businesses increasingly rely on cloud solutions to store data, run operations and manage applications. However, with this growth comes the challenge of ensuring that cloud environments remain secure and compliant with ever-changing regulations. This is where the idea of autonomous security for cloud (ASC) comes into play.Security and compliance aren't just technical buzzwords; they are crucial for businesses of all sizes. With data breaches and cyber threats on the rise, having systems that ensure your…

Topic updates

Get email updates and stay ahead of the latest threats to the security landscape, thought leadership and research.
Subscribe today