In early 2025, Hertz Corporation, known for its major car rental brands—Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty—revealed a significant data breach caused by a third-party vendor, Cleo Communications US, LLC. The breach, which affected thousands of customers, is a stark reminder of the growing risks posed by zero-day vulnerabilities in software. This breach exposed sensitive customer information, and now Hertz is taking steps to mitigate the damage while urging customers to protect their identities.
Overview of the Breach and its Impact
On February 10, 2025, Hertz confirmed that a third-party vendor, Cleo, was responsible for a data breach that exposed a variety of sensitive personal data. The breach occurred after attackers exploited zero-day vulnerabilities within Cleo’s file transfer platform during October and December of 2024. This allowed unauthorized individuals to access and steal data before the flaws were even identified by Cleo, leaving a significant window for exploitation.
Zero-day vulnerabilities, by definition, refer to security flaws that are unknown to the software developer, meaning that there is no patch or fix in place to protect against the attack. In this case, the attackers took advantage of such a flaw, bypassing security measures and gaining access to critical customer information. The breach wasn’t detected until several months later, illustrating the challenge of identifying these types of cyber threats.
Types of Exposed Information
The breach potentially exposed a wide range of sensitive customer data. Following a detailed investigation, Hertz found that the compromised data could include:
- Personal details such as names, contact information, and dates of birth
– Financial information like credit card numbers
– Driver’s license details and
- More sensitive information including Social Security numbers, government IDs, passport numbers, Medicare/Medicaid IDs, and injury-related data from vehicle accident claims.
The scope of this data exposure means that some customers may be at greater risk for identity theft, fraud, and other financial crimes.
Response and Mitigation Actions
Upon discovering the breach, Hertz and Cleo took swift action to investigate the incident and remediate the vulnerabilities. Cleo worked to patch the identified flaws in its file transfer platform, while Hertz notified relevant law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies. As part of its response, Hertz also provided complimentary identity monitoring and dark web monitoring services for two years to those potentially affected by the breach.
Hertz has recommended several steps for customers to protect their personal information, including monitoring financial accounts, placing fraud alerts, and even freezing credit to prevent unauthorized use of their information. The company has also emphasized the importance of taking these steps seriously to avoid falling victim to fraud in the wake of the breach.
Recommendations for Affected Individuals
Hertz has provided clear guidelines for customers who may have been affected by the data breach:
- Regularly monitor bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized activity.
- Place fraud alerts on credit files, which will require businesses to verify identity before issuing new credit.
- Consider placing a security freeze on credit files to prevent new accounts from being opened in their name.
- Contact one of the major credit bureaus to initiate fraud alerts or freezes.
The company also reminds affected individuals of their legal rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), including the ability to dispute inaccurate information on their credit reports, and to seek damages for violations.
What Undercode Says:
This breach highlights the vulnerabilities that can exist in third-party vendor relationships, a factor that many companies still overlook when considering their cybersecurity posture. In this case, Hertz’s reliance on Cleo, a third-party vendor, led to a breach that affected countless individuals. The fact that a zero-day vulnerability was exploited underscores the importance of proactive security measures and regular monitoring of the software and systems that vendors use.
Zero-day vulnerabilities are particularly insidious because they exploit flaws that are completely unknown to the software provider. This makes them especially difficult to guard against, as organizations often only learn about them after the damage is done. The Hertz-Cleo breach is a case in point, as attackers had months of undetected access to sensitive data.
What is particularly alarming here is the delayed detection. The breach went unnoticed for months after the initial exploit, which means many individuals may have had their personal information exposed without realizing it. While Hertz has responded by offering identity protection services and urging customers to take preventative steps, the question remains: Could this breach have been avoided with better security practices in place?
This incident also raises questions about the level of cybersecurity that third-party vendors are held to. While companies like Hertz often focus on securing their own platforms, they must be equally diligent about ensuring their vendors follow the highest security standards. This breach is a cautionary tale about the dangers of underestimating third-party risks, especially in industries handling highly sensitive personal data.
Finally, the breach emphasizes the critical need for companies to have a rapid incident response plan in place. Zero-day vulnerabilities can go undetected for extended periods, so organizations must be prepared for swift action when such events occur. It’s clear that the lessons learned from this incident can help other businesses better defend themselves against similar threats in the future.
Fact Checker Results:
- Hertz confirmed the breach, with the initial exploit taking place in late 2024 and the breach being detected in February 2025.
- Cleo’s platform was identified as the source of the vulnerability, and the breach was a result of zero-day exploits.
- Affected customers have been provided with two years of identity monitoring services and are advised to take precautionary actions like fraud alerts and credit freezes.
References:
Reported By: cyberpress.org
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