Push Admin

Millions of Microsoft-stored data records mistakenly exposed

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<p>SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Some 38 million records stored on a Microsoft service, including private information, were mistakenly left exposed this year, security firm UpGuard said Monday.</p><p>The data, including names, addresses, financial information and COVID-19 vaccination statuses, was made vulnerable -- but not compromised -- before the problem was resolved, according to the digital security company&#x27;s investigation.</p><p>Among the 47 affected organizations were American Airlines, Ford, JB Hunt and public agencies such as the Maryland Department of Health and New York City&#x27;s public transit system.</p><p>They all used a Microsoft product called Power Apps, which allows for the creation of websites and mobile apps to interact with the public.</p><p>The service&#x27;s default software configuration setting meant the data of the affected organizations was left without protection up until June 2021, according to UpGuard.</p><p>&quot;As a result of this research project, Microsoft has since made changes to Power Apps portals,&quot; the report said.</p><p>Microsoft said it had let clients know when potential security risks were uncovered so that they could fix the problems themselves. </p><p>&quot;We take security and privacy seriously, and we encourage our customers to use best practices when configuring products in ways that best meet their privacy needs,&quot; a spokesperson said. </p><p>But UpGuard said it would have been better to change the way the software works at the source, and based on how customers use it, rather than &quot;to label systemic loss of data confidentiality an end user misconfiguration, allowing the problem to persist.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/05/21/hackers-demand-70-m-to-restore-data-in-cyberattack-blog">Hackers demand $70-M to restore data in cyberattack - blog</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/28/21/microsoft-profits-jump-as-cloud-services-keep-momentum">Microsoft profits jump as cloud services keep momentum</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1682458" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div> </div>

The data, including names, addresses, financial information and COVID-19 vaccination statuses, was made vulnerable -- but not compromised -- before the problem was resolved.