Hackers claim to have stolen personal data and payment info of 560 million Ticketmaster customers
The compromised data, which is said to include names, addresses and credit card information, has reportedly been put up for sale on the dark web
A notorious hacker collective claims to have breached the data of more than 500 million Ticketmaster customers around the world.
Dark web group Shiny Hunters claims to have stolen the personal data and payment information of 560 million people and is reportedly demanding a $500,000 (€462,000) ransom payment to prevent the information being sold to other parties.
Industry publication CyberDaily reports that the compromised data, amounting to 1.3 terabytes, includes names, addresses, phone numbers, ticket sales and credit card information. The data also purportedly contains the last four digits of card numbers and expiration dates.
READ MORE: How to beat the queue and secure in-demand tickets on Ticketmaster
The notorious hacker group ShinyHunters, which has been responsible for other high-profile data breaches, is claiming responsibility for the breach. The information is said to be available for a a "one-time sale" on the dark web, with an asking price of $500,000.
Ticketmaster, one of the largest online ticket sales platforms in the world, has yet to confirm whether it has experienced a security breach.
However, Australia's Home Affairs Department said it is aware of a cyber incident impacting Ticketmaster customers and is "working with Ticketmaster to understand the incident".
Cybersecurity expert Mark Lukie warned that the alleged hack could have major implications for Ticketmaster customers.
"This could mean the potential risk of identity fraud and we would assume this data would be used for phishing or impersonation attacks down the track," he told ABC.
"Users need to be very vigilant about their email and who they're responding to and not giving out any information to people trying to trick them."
Experts at Experian suggest that anyone worried about being affected by the alleged data hack should change passwords and pins to any potential accounts affected in a hack, while also keeping hold of any suspicious mail or electronic communications.
The alleged hack comes after US regulators sued Live Nation, Ticketmaster's parent company, accusing the entertainment giant of using illegal tactics to maintain a monopoly over the live music industry.
The US Department of Justice says it wants to restore competition across the live concert industry, alleging that Live Nation-Ticketmaster holds too much market share, which has led to higher ticket prices and worse service for customers.
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