Exploit: Unauthorized database access
Flipboard: News aggregator service and mobile app
Risk to Small Business: 2 = Severe: Hackers accessed a database containing users’ account information on two separate occasions during a span of nine months. The company notified law enforcement of the breach and hired a third-party investigative firm to audit their security standards and develop better standards for the future. However, this incident will inflict a significant black eye on their reputation, and the company will be required to spend time and money to secure their platform and restore trust.
Individual Risk: 2.571 = Moderate: It’s unclear if the hackers downloaded users’ personal information, but the hacked database includes user names, hashed and salted passwords, email addresses, and digital tokens associated with Google, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. Although Flipboard has reset all user passwords and disconnected or deleted all tokens, impacted individuals should be mindful that their credentials could be compromised. Flipboard users should be especially careful about using duplicate passwords on other services.
Customers Impacted: Unknown
How it Could Affect Your Customers’ Business: Data breach incident responses are becoming increasingly commonplace. Apologies, investigations, and updates are typical responses from organizations, but they don’t have to become the norm. Extensive breaches similar to Flipboard’s should encourage companies to prioritize their cybersecurity initiatives and avoid breaches from occurring in the first place.
Risk Levels:
1 - 1.5 = Extreme Risk
1.51 - 2.49 = Severe Risk
2.5 - 3 = Moderate Risk
*The risk score is calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.
