More than 2M Customers’ Data Leaked from Toyota Vehicles

Paul Myles

TU-Editor

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12th May 2023

Some would say it was only a matter of time before the ‘software defined car’ would suffer the same cyber issues as any other IoT device as Toyota confirms a huge customer data leak.

Reuters reports the automaker admitted the vehicle data of about 2.15 million users was left publicly available in Japan. While this is a historic event, covering a period from November 2013 to mid-April, the discover highlights how personal data collected by vehicle connectivity can find its way into the hands of bad actors.

The leak, attributed to a setting error in the cloud environment, could encompass details such as vehicle locations and identification numbers of vehicle devices but there were no reports of malicious use, the company said. Customers affected included those who signed up for the T-Connect network service from the start of 2012 until April 17, Toyota said, while apologizing for causing concern. Also affected were users of G-Link, a similar service for owners of the luxury Lexus-branded vehicles, that provides features such as emergency support.

Toyota added that steps to block outside access to the data were taken after the issue was discovered and an investigation into all cloud environments managed by Toyota Connected Corp was ongoing.

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_