Uber is investigating a serious cybersecurity incident following reports that company networks have been breached.

According to a report from the New York Times, a hacker managed to gain access to an Uber employee’s Slack account. Thereafter, the threat actor used the messaging platform to notify other employees of the attack.

“I announce I am a hacker and Uber has suffered a data breach,” the Slack message read. The post ended with a claim that the company underpays drivers.

Speaking to the hacker, reporters at the Times claim the individual is 18 years old and carried out the attack because the company “had weak security”.

In the wake of the incident, the Slack system was taken offline. However, it appears that the hacker was able to gain access to internal company systems.

Reporters at Bleeping Computer, who have also been in contact with the alleged culprit, claim to have viewed screenshots highlighting access to “critical Uber IT systems”.

This included access to critical security software, AWS systems and Google Workspace admin dashboards.

Notably, the threat actor also appears to have gained access to Uber’s HackerOne account and was able to download reports on critical vulnerabilities. The HackerOne account has since been closed.

In a statement on social media, Uber confirmed it was investigating the alleged hack.

“We are currently responding to a cybersecurity incident. We are in touch with law enforcement and will post additional updates here as they become available,” the company said.

We are currently responding to a cybersecurity incident. We are in touch with law enforcement and will post additional updates here as they become available.

— Uber Comms (@Uber_Comms) September 16, 2022

Uber is yet to provide any additional details. At this stage, it is unclear if customer data has been accessed.

Uber Hack

The Times reports that the threat actor employed social engineering techniques to gain access to Uber systems.

The hacker told the publication that they contacted an Uber employee claiming to be a corporate IT worker.

Social engineering involves manipulating people into performing specific actions or divulging sensitive information against their better judgment.

Social engineering has surged in popularity among cybercriminals and hackers in recent years.

The Robinhood data breach last year saw hackers use social engineering methods to gain access to critical internal systems.

Deryck Mitchelson, Field CISO and Check Point says social engineering attacks are rapidly increasing and are a serious cause for concern.

He explains: “Social engineering is something we are increasingly seeing more of. This is where the hackers will use a variety of offline and online means to manipulate users into performing actions or divulging confidential information, such as remote access details.”

While Mitchelson says there are solutions that can “actively guard” against phishing techniques, a key weapon in any company’s arsenal is employee education.

He adds: “It is also absolutely critical that organisations take the time to educate employees on the threat.”

Bad Press

This Uber hack couldn’t have come at a worse time for the ride-hailing giant, with former security chief Joe Sullivan currently standing trial for his role in Uber’s 2016 data breach.

It is argued that Sullivan failed to properly disclose details of the incident, which affected 57 million customers and employees worldwide.

The landmark case is said to be the first of its kind and could set a major precedent for security leaders and the way cyber incidents are handled.

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