Data of 3.1 crore Star Health customers put up for sale online, claims hacker

The personal and health-related data of approximately 3.1 crore customers of Star Health has been put up for sale online, according to a report by Business Standard. The data, now available for purchase, includes sensitive information such as names, residential addresses, phone numbers, PAN details, policy nominees, and information on pre-existing medical conditions.

This breach has emerged almost two weeks after Star Health took legal action against Telegram and an unidentified hacker for leaking the private data of its customers via chatbots on the messaging platform.

The latest leak, reportedly orchestrated by a hacker operating under the alias "xenZen," involves a website offering the data for $1,50,000 (approximately Rs 1.26 crore). A smaller package of around one lakh entries is being sold for $10,000 (nearly Rs 8.4 lakh).

The hacker claims the data was obtained through dealings with Star Health’s Chief Information Security Officer, Amarjeet, although the authenticity of these claims is still under investigation. To substantiate his claim, the hacker has shared a sample of the data, which includes the personal details of some government officials.

The Madras High Court is set to hear the case on October 25, following a prior hearing where notices were issued to Telegram and Cloudflare. Star Health’s lawsuit against the hacker and the messaging platform reflects the seriousness of this data breach, raising concerns about the company’s internal security measures and how such sensitive information was compromised.

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