Panasonic says it has been hit by a data breach

Data Breach
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Japanese multinational conglomerate Panasonic has revealed that it suffered a data breach earlier this month after an unauthorized third-party gained access to its network.

According to a press release from the company, an investigation into the matter revealed that on November 11 the intruder was able to access some data stored on one of its file servers during the breach.

While Panasonic did not include details regarding the attack timeline in its statement, Japanese news outlets Mainchi and NHK said that the third-party had access to its servers between June and November according to a report from The Record.

Additionally, Mainchi and NHK reported that the third-party was able to gain access to sensitive information such as customer details, employee personal information and technical files from Panasonic's domestic operations. However, at this time, Panasonic has yet to confirm or deny whether or not sensitive information was obtained as a result of the breach.

Unauthorized access

Once Panasonic detected the unauthorized access due to abnormal network traffic, the company reported the incident to the relevant authorities and implemented several security countermeasures including steps to prevent external access to its network.

Although the company is conducting its own investigation, it is also working with a specialist third-party organization “to investigate the leak and determine if the breach involved customers' personal information and/or sensitive information”.

We'll likely find out more regarding the data breach and how a third-party was able to access its network and remain undetected for more than four months once Panasonic and local authorities conclude their respective investigations.

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Via BleepingComputer

Anthony Spadafora

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home. 

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