Adobe Creative Cloud Breach Affects Millions of Accounts
Subscribers of Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite are being asked to keep vigilant against phishing emails that may be linked to a breach of customer data. The company confirmed that the personal information of about seven million users had been left openly exposed online for nearly a week. Adobe Creative Cloud is a single login system that Adobe uses for clients to get access to programs such as Photoshop, Premiere, and Lightroom, among others. The data leak was brought to the company’s attention by a UK-based tech firm called Comparitech, and it was notable that the information was available to be accessed without any security at all.
Extensive Exposed Data
The data that was compromised included usernames and email addresses for users along with country location and the date on which they created their Adobe accounts. The company outlined that payment information and passwords were not part of the breach, and so users don’t need to worry about their finances or accounts being compromised. While the data isn’t that sensitive in terms of what it offers to hackers, it can be valuable for phishing scams. Adobe has reminded affected users to remain vigilant against these schemes.
The data remains openly exposed for a week, but there is, as yet, no substantial evidence that third-party users accessed it. The breach is the second largest that has happened to Adobe since the company instituted user accounts. The first breach occurred in 2013 and resulted in the loss of information of over 38 million users. That breach was far more severe, as the hackers also managed to obtain payment information for users.
Keeping the Customers Informed
In a move that should be emulated, Adobe immediately reached out to affected consumers and informed them of the situation. On the company’s web page, they accept responsibility for the leak but underscore that no sensitive information such as passwords and payment information were taken. Finally, to allay any fears that the breach would affect their systems, the company reassured consumers that they would be able to use adobe systems as usual. The offense should serve as a warning to Adobe to take more care in securing their online data.
