It's been reported that online ticket site Ticketmaster has been the subject of a cyber attack, with hackers allegedly stealing the personal details of more than half a billion customers.
The ShinyHunters hacking group is said to be demanding around £400,000 (around €470,000) in a ransom payment to prevent the data being sold on the dark web.
According to reports, authorities in Australia and the US are engaging with Ticketmaster to understand and respond to the incident, with the hackers said to have gained access to the names, address, phone numbers and partial payments details of 560 million of the site's customers.
Anthony Young, chief executive of UK cybersecurity firm Bridewell, said the incident should serve as a "wake-up call" to all firms to prioritise data protection in the face of the growing threat of cyber attacks.
"Ticketmaster reportedly falling victim to a data breach highlights the growing threat that large-scale cyber attacks pose to widely-used services," he said.
"This breach, attributed to a hacker collective demanding a substantial six-figure ransom, signifies severe financial implications for companies.
Ticketmaster has not yet publicly confirmed the breach.
The online ticket sales platform, and its parent company, Live Nation, have been approached for comment.
Source: Press Association
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