Vivifi, a prominent digital loan provider in India, has experienced a significant data breach, compromising the personal information of approximately 36 million users. The breach occurred due to a misconfigured Amazon AWS S3 bucket, which was left unsecured and without authentication.
Researchers from Cybernews discovered the exposed data on November 28, 2024, with the bucket remaining open until January 16, 2025. This lapse allowed potential access to sensitive Know Your Customer (KYC) documents, including passports, ID cards, utility bills, and bank statements.
The primary concern following such a breach is the risk of identity theft. Cybercriminals could exploit the leaked information to apply for loans, credit cards, or bank accounts in victims‘ names. Although there is no current evidence that the data has been misused, the potential for harm remains high.
Data breaches are increasingly common in the fintech sector. Earlier in 2025, another Mexican fintech firm, Miio, faced a similar incident, albeit with fewer exposed files. The nature of KYC documents makes them particularly valuable to attackers, as they contain essential information for identity verification.
To mitigate risks, users are advised to monitor their bank statements and transactions for any suspicious activity. Implementing strong, unique passwords for all accounts and enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) can add layers of security. Awareness of phishing attacks is also crucial, as attackers may use leaked data to craft convincing social engineering schemes.
For those concerned about the breach, identity theft protection plans are available, offering monitoring services and insurance against fraudulent activities. Staying vigilant and proactive is essential in the wake of such security incidents.
For further details, visit the original article on TechRadar.