- El Corte Inglés notified its customers about unauthorized access to personal data stored by an external provider.
- Customer identification and credit card data were compromised, although the company assures that they cannot be used for fraudulent purchases.
- Additional security measures have been implemented and the incident has been reported to the relevant authorities.
- El Corte Inglés recommends that those affected be alert to possible phishing attempts and change their passwords.
El Corte Inglés has been the victim of a cyber attack which compromised the personal information of its customers. The company informed its users about a security breach originating from an external provider, which allowed attackers to access identification and contact data. Although not all the details of the incident have been made public, the company assures that the illegal access was detected and resolved immediately.
The incident has raised concerns among customers, many of whom have expressed their displeasure on social media. The main concern is the possibility that this data could be used in frauds such as Phishing, where cybercriminals could impersonate El Corte Inglés to obtain more personal information.
What data has been leaked?
According to information provided by El Corte Inglés, The compromised data includes names, surnames, addresses and credit card numbers. linked exclusively to purchases from the company. However, the company has stressed that this information alone does not allow fraudulent transactions to be made, so customers can continue to use their cards normally.
Despite these statements, many customers have expressed concerns about the nature of the leaked data and the lack of details about the encryption of the information, which opens the door to potential security risks.
Response from El Corte Inglés and measures taken
El Corte Inglés has assured that, after detecting the intrusion, Security protocols were immediately activated to mitigate the impact of the attack. They have also requested that the affected provider implement additional measures to prevent future incidents.
The company has also notified the fact to the competent data protection authorities to ensure that relevant investigations are carried out and compliance with safety regulations is guaranteed.
As part of its response to protect customers, the company has also emphasized that it will never ask for passwords, security codes or sensitive information via email, phone call or text message.
Recommendations for affected customers
Given this situation, El Corte Inglés has recommended its customers to change your passwords access to the web portal and to remain alert to possible attempts at identity theft.
Those who suspect they have received fraudulent emails should avoid clicking on suspicious links and contact El Corte Inglés customer service directly to verify any official communication.
In addition, it is recommended do not share personal information with third parties and activate additional security measures such as two-step authentication in those services that allow it. For more information on how to protect your data, you can consult about how the ciberseguridad.
Customer outrage and lack of transparency
The fact that El Corte Inglés has sent communications to its customers at unusual times and with a generic subject has generated criticism. Many users point out that this strategy seems designed to minimise the media impact and avoid a major repercussion.
Another aspect that has raised questions is the decision not to reveal the name of the affected provider or to offer technical details about whether the data was encrypted. This lack of transparency has been questioned, as other similar incidents have shown that data encryption can be key to minimising damage.
Some customers have expressed their distrust on social media and have demanded that more information be provided about what happened. The controversy has fueled the debate about the digital security and the responsibility of large companies in protecting their users' data.
The attack on El Corte Inglés adds to a long list of security breaches suffered by companies in different sectors in recent years. The leak of personal data is a growing problem that affects both customers and companies, highlighting the Need to strengthen cybersecurity protocols.
Although the company has assured that it has reinforced security measures to avoid similar incidents in the future, the confidence of many customers could have been affected. The general recommendation remains to keep Caution against possible fraud attempts and be alert to any suspicious communications.
