Tesla is one of the most technologically advanced firms on the planet. Be it their swanky electric cars that obliterate racetracks around the world, clever sources of renewable energy or even the rather peculiar Tesla bot that promises many things that used to be teased in science fiction movies of yesteryears, there’s no doubt that Tesla has a solid grasp over technology. Hence, it’s quite jarring to see Tesla involved in a data breach incident that endangers the privacy of several of its employees.
Earlier in May 2023, a Tesla data breach shook almost all of its employees around the world, raising concerns about their personal data going into the wrong hands. The massive Tesla data leak also raised questions about the company’s data safety protocols. However, it was soon discovered that two of its former employees were involved in the data breach and, par for the course, legal battles followed. While the company is still assessing the data breach’s damage, Tesla is now notifying all its affected employees about the same.
In case you’re interested in staying in the loop, here’s a rundown of the latest developments.
Tesla data breach: What happened?
Earlier in May 2023, it was confirmed that Tesla had suffered a massive data breach. The company’s employee data, amounting to 100GB, was leaked by a whistleblower, with all of it being available in abundance under the name ‘Tesla Files’. The data was leaked by two former ‘disgruntled employees’ of Tesla, as revealed by a report from the German newspaper Handelsblatt. Tesla informed the Dutch authorities and even filed lawsuits against the two employees.
The data breach affected all of Tesla’s high-profile employees. It was reported that it had even affected Elon Musk, with his social security number, bank account number, address and salary figure being leaked.
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How is the Tesla data leak being managed?
To help its employees deal with the breach of their data, Tesla is offering complimentary membership to Experian IdentityWorks’ credit monitoring and identity theft service. This membership will be active for two years.
The breach has affected a whopping 75,735 Tesla employees, though it is being reported that the data hasn’t been misused. Additionally, the Handelsblatt newspaper has made it clear that it won’t be revealing sensitive data to the public since it is legally restricted from doing so.
All this has happened at a time when Tesla has bigger ambitions to expand to several markets. The American electric car firm had recently opened its doors to the Malaysian market and is now rumoured to expand to India as well.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– When did the Tesla data breach happen?
The Tesla data breach was reported in May 2023. Two ex-Tesla employees were identified as the culprits.
(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
