In a shocking turn of events, Paramount Media recently fell victim to a significant data breach, leading to the unauthorized access of user personal information.
Paramount Media Networks(founded as MTV Networks in 1984 and known under this name until 2011) is an American mass media division of Paramount Global that oversees the operations of many of its television channels and online brands.
The company’s brands include CBS, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount+, Pluto TV, MTV, Paramount Pictures, Showtime Netwo, Smithsonian Channel, and Nickelodeon. Paramount operates as a subsidiary of National Amusements Inc.
The breach was discovered after attackers managed to gain access to Paramount Media’s systems between May and June 2023, compromising sensitive user data.
According to a data breach notification letter sent to affected users, the attackers targeted vulnerabilities in the company’s security infrastructure.
“Based on our investigation, the personal information may have included your name, date of birth, Social Security number, or other government-issued identification number (such as driver’s license number or passport number) and information related to your relationship with Paramount. The types of affected personal information varied by individual.”
This allowed them to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized access to a trove of personal information.
The compromised data includes a range of personal information, such as users’ names, email addresses, phone numbers, and even some instances of encrypted passwords.
While the letter assures users that no financial information, such as credit card details, was exposed, the breach still has the potential to cause significant harm to those affected.
The combination of personal data could lead to targeted phishing attacks, identity theft, and other malicious activities.
There is no evidence that breached personal information was misused, says Brian Keane, the Executive Vice president of Nickelodeon, Paramount Global.
In the data breach notification letter, Paramount mentioned that they have engaged a third-party cybersecurity expert to carry out an investigation and are collaborating with law enforcement.
Additionally, they are in the process of implementing advanced measures to deter any recurrence of such issues in the future.
In addition, the Paramount team has arranged to offer identity protection and credit monitoring services for two years at no cost to their affected customers.
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