Hyundai confirms security breach after hackers access sensitive data

On the Dash:

• Hackers accessed Hyundai AutoEver’s systems between February and March 2025, exposing personal data, including names and Social Security numbers.
• While HAEA serves 2.7 million users, only about 2,000 were directly affected, according to company reports.
• The breach highlights rising privacy and cybersecurity risks as automakers face increased scrutiny over driver data collection.

Hyundai AutoEver America (HAEA), a digital subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, has begun alerting vehicle owners to a data breach that may have exposed names, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license details.

The company, which manages software systems for Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles, said hackers accessed its systems between February and March. The intrusion went undetected for nine days, potentially allowing access to customer data.

HAEA serves more than 2.7 million users, but a spokesperson told Kelley Blue Book the breach affected about 2,000 individuals. State filings in Maine and Massachusetts confirm a limited number of residents were impacted.

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In a letter to California’s Attorney General, HAEA said it launched an investigation with outside cybersecurity experts “to assess the scope of the incident, confirm containment, and identify any affected information.” The company said hackers accessed data, but could not confirm whether it was exfiltrated.

HAEA is offering two years of free credit monitoring to affected owners, who have 90 days from the date of notification to enroll. A hotline has been established at 855-720-3727. Security experts advise all Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis owners to monitor their bank and credit accounts for unusual activity.

The incident highlights growing concerns about data protection in modern vehicles, which now store location history, payment information, and entertainment preferences.

Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission banned General Motors from selling driver data for five years, and a Senate investigation in July found that other automakers, including Hyundai, continued similar practices.

While Hyundai AutoEver reported that the breach only affected a small number of users, this incident raises broader concerns within the industry about how automakers protect the growing volume of data they collect from drivers.