A Look Back at the Worst Cyber Hacks of 2022 

Well, here we are in 2023 and it’s time to look back at the worst cyber hacks of 2022. It was a year full of alarming security breaches that cost companies billions in lost revenue, exposed millions of customers’ confidential information, and caused irreparable damage to reputations. Let’s look back at five of the most notorious cyber hacks of last year! 

1. The Marriott Data Breach:

In June 2022, Marriott International has hacked again after reporting a massive data breach that had over 20 gigabytes of data stolen. The data stolen included names, addresses, passport numbers, credit card numbers, and other personal information. 

2. WhatsApp: 

On November 16, 2022, one of the largest privacy breaches in history occurred when a hacker posted a dataset that contained the personal information of over 487 million WhatsApp users from 80 different countries. It remains uncertain where the hacker gained access to this immense pool of data and many questions have been raised about digital security since then. Despite strict security measures from tech companies like WhatsApp, it is astonishing that hackers can still find ways to infiltrate these systems for their own personal gain.

3. Crypto.com theft:

January 2022 started off with a major security breach for Crypto.com, as more than 500 of its user’s cryptocurrency wallets were targeted by thieves. Although initial estimates were that £12 million had been taken, the extent of the theft revealed that nearly double this amount was stolen, as withdrawals comprising Bitcoin and Ethereum worth over £30 million had been made. 

4. Dropbox phishing attack:

In October 2022, the popular cloud storage service, Dropbox suffered from an attack that may have given an unknown malicious actor access to over 130 of its users’ accounts. The attacker exploited a security loophole within Dropbox’s system and managed to get away with sensitive user data, including email addresses and passwords. While the company had already taken measures to protect its users shortly after the incident was discovered, it serves as an important reminder for us all to remain vigilant when it comes to protecting our personal information online. 

5. Grand Theft Auto 6 Hacker:

In what could be seen as an astonishing culmination of events, a 17-year-old hacker from Oxfordshire has been arrested in relation to the hack on the forthcoming game Grand Theft Auto 6. The hacker had somehow managed to get their hands on never-seen-before footage of the un-released game and this led authorities to track down the perpetrator in question. What’s more, further investigations into the matter have uncovered that the same anonymous hacker is allegedly responsible for earlier hacks against Uber and Microsoft back in 2022.

Cybersecurity should be taken seriously by everyone - individuals and businesses alike - because there are far too many examples of what can happen when proper security measures aren’t taken or implemented correctly or quickly enough. As we look back on some of the worst cyber hacks from last year – such as those detailed above – let us use them as cautionary tales for our own safety going forward into 2023!

Are you and your company looking to ensure this doesn’t happen to you in 2023? Well, you’re in the right place! We have 100s of Cyber Security Experts that can do a perfect job at protecting you and your business from all types of attacks – check out the Live Lab here.