There has been a rash of data breaches, hacks and general security breaches throughout the business world lately, especially in mobile and related spaces. Hackers have hit T-Mobile, Touchnote and many others in recent years, making Uber simply one of many. Uber revealed that their particular data breach back in May of 2014 resulted in over 50,000 Uber drivers having their names and driver’s license numbers illegally downloaded. The database had been left on code sharing website Github by mistake and accessed by a large number of people, almost all of which were Uber staff, Github web staff or individuals and organizations whose right to the data could be explained. Only one IP address corresponded to somebody outside of that circle. That web address has been traced back indirectly to the rival service Lyft. Specifically, it seems to lead to their technology chief, Chris Lambert.
Lambert has, of course, lawyered up. Attorney Miles Erlich, a former federal prosecutor, said that Lambert was not involved in the breach. Erlich went on to say that since there was a loss of personal data, a criminal investigation is only natural and that Lambert has not been contacted or mentioned as a person of interest. A criminal investigation, Erlich says, will hopefully find the real culprit and strike Lambert’s name from the conversation. With the position Lambert is in and the long interval between the breach and the investigation, the damage to Lambert’s reputation may already be done.
Uber and Lyft both deny any contact from the United States Department of Justice at this time. Additionally, Department of Justice representative Abraham Simmons is unable to confirm or deny a criminal investigation, though the consensus among most parties involved seems to be that one is either underway or pending. No accusations have been officially made by any parties just yet, leading to questions of whether this breach will lead to any charges at all. Although leaving any perpetrators unpunished would be better than going after the wrong person, it is far too early at this stage to tell what direction the Department of Justice may be looking in.