• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

U.S. companies have finally gotten $71 billion in tariff refunds, but they’re using it to offset inflation caused by the Iran war

2

FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’

3

Buffett says AI giants are ‘playing a game they don’t want to play’ in the AI race, reveals he was behind Berkshire’s $31 billion bet on Google

1

U.S. companies have finally gotten $71 billion in tariff refunds, but they’re using it to offset inflation caused by the Iran war

2

FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’

3

Buffett says AI giants are ‘playing a game they don’t want to play’ in the AI race, reveals he was behind Berkshire’s $31 billion bet on Google

Uber Hack: Here’s How to Find Out If You’ve Been Affected

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 22, 2017, 11:13 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

News that hackers accessed the personal data of 57 million Uber accounts has consumers asking themselves a question that’s beginning to feel all too familiar: Am I vulnerable and how do I find out?

Unfortunately, finding the answer isn’t as easy as it was with other major hacks.

Uber, which paid hackers $100,000 to hide the 2016 breach from customers, is still seemingly playing defense. The company maintains that individual riders don’t need to take any action since Uber has “seen no evidence of fraud or misuse tied to the incident.” In a blog post discussing the incident, the company did not indicate that will contact customers whose accounts were compromised, which is the typical procedure in such breaches. Instead, Uber says it is monitoring affected accounts and has flagged them for additional fraud protection. (Fortune has reached out to Uber for comment and will update this post if the company responds.)

The thing is: It’s not that simple.

Even ‘mundane’ data breaches can be significant, since the personal information included in most accounts can be used to engineer everything from identity theft to phishing operations.

“Uber needs to force a password reset and warn affected users to be on the alert for fake notices from Uber requesting personal info from users, as hackers will do that,” says Hemu Nigam, founder of internet security consultancy SSP Blue and former VP of internet enforcement at the Motion Picture Association of America. “Users also need to be extra vigilant when getting steeply discounted deals during the holidays as hackers tend to sell stolen info to criminal spammers in the dark net.”

There’s also the reputational damage Uber now faces—which comes not long after co-founder Travis Kalanick resigned as the company’s chief executive after facing multiple controversies from sexual harassment allegations to legal disputes with rival firms and regulators.

According to Bloomberg, Uber’s breach occurred in 2016 when hackers noticed Uber developers had published code that included their usernames and passwords on a private account of the software repository Github. The hack and resulting coverup resulted in the ouster of chief security officer Joe Sullivan and another executive.

What to do if you think you were affected

Since Uber is apparently unwilling to let individual customers know whether they were affected by the breach at this point, it’s not a bad idea to assume you were. And, as a precaution, there are a few steps worth taking.

First, and stop us if you’ve heard this before, it’s time change your passwords—again. Don’t reuse old ones or ones you use on other sites. Try something new.

Once that’s done, check your accounts for fraudulent activity. Most Americans don’t keep close tabs on their checking and saving balance and don’t examine every item on their credit card bill—and hackers count on that. While Uber says outside forensic experts “have not seen any indication that trip location history, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, Social Security numbers or dates of birth were downloaded,” the fact that it took such efforts to cover up the hacks should make you skeptical.

Next, set up credit monitoring to ensure no one is using your personal information. It’s the lowest level of defense, but it’s better than nothing.

Finally, if you’ve been hacked recently or feel like your luck is running thin given all the recent incidents, consider a credit freeze, which prevents new credit from being issued without your direct permission.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

The Best Vitamins for Kids (2026): Support Their Immunity, Growth, and More
HealthDietary Supplements
The Best Vitamins for Kids (2026): Support Their Immunity, Growth, and More
By Emily PharesJuly 17, 2026
1 hour ago
Commercial auto insurance explained for business owners
Personal FinanceInsurance
Commercial auto insurance explained for business owners
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 17, 2026
2 hours ago
So you want to buy a sports franchise? Why entering sports ownership gives the rich a ‘very elite and exclusive club’ with great tax benefits
InvestingSports
So you want to buy a sports franchise? Why entering sports ownership gives the rich a ‘very elite and exclusive club’ with great tax benefits
By Catherina GioinoJuly 17, 2026
2 hours ago
Jensen Huang’s signature black leather jacket just sold at Sotheby’s for nearly $1 million—and the money is going to young tech builders
SuccessJensen Huang
Jensen Huang’s signature black leather jacket just sold at Sotheby’s for nearly $1 million—and the money is going to young tech builders
By Sydney LakeJuly 17, 2026
2 hours ago
Businesses are experimenting with cheaper Chinese AI models as U.S. rivals get more expensive
AIChina
Businesses are experimenting with cheaper Chinese AI models as U.S. rivals get more expensive
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 17, 2026
2 hours ago
NordicTrack X24 Treadmill Review (2026): Expert Reviewed
HealthFitness
NordicTrack X24 Treadmill Review (2026): Expert Reviewed
By Christina SnyderJuly 17, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

U.S. companies have finally gotten $71 billion in tariff refunds, but they’re using it to offset inflation caused by the Iran war
Economy
U.S. companies have finally gotten $71 billion in tariff refunds, but they’re using it to offset inflation caused by the Iran war
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 17, 2026
14 hours ago
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
C-Suite
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
By Fortune EditorsJuly 15, 2026
2 days ago
Buffett says AI giants are ‘playing a game they don’t want to play’ in the AI race, reveals he was behind Berkshire’s $31 billion bet on Google
Big Tech
Buffett says AI giants are ‘playing a game they don’t want to play’ in the AI race, reveals he was behind Berkshire’s $31 billion bet on Google
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 16, 2026
1 day ago
26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
Law
26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
By Barbara Ortutay, Alexandra Olson and The Associated PressJuly 15, 2026
2 days ago
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says 300,000 workers are needed to rebuild American shipbuilding—with jobs paying $100,000 without a college degree
Success
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says 300,000 workers are needed to rebuild American shipbuilding—with jobs paying $100,000 without a college degree
By Preston ForeJuly 16, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 17, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 17, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 17, 2026
12 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.