Recent cybersecurity analysis by WizCase has unveiled a significant data leak involving over 5.5 million files, representing more than one terabyte of sensitive information linked to over 100,000 customers of Coninsa Ramon H, a Colombian real estate firm. This breach raises alarming questions about data management and cybersecurity protocols within the company.
The vulnerability, discovered by researcher Ata Hakçıl and his team, stems from a misconfigured Amazon Web Services (AWS) Simple Storage Service (S3) bucket. Notably, no authentication was necessary to access this data, and the lack of encryption meant that sensitive information, including client names, photos, and addresses, was readily available to anyone who stumbled upon it. An exclusive report shared with The Hacker News outlined the gravity of this oversight.
Details accessible in the exposed bucket are alarming, ranging from personal identifiers like full names and email addresses to financial specifics including invoices and account statements that span several years—from 2014 to 2021. The breadth of data breaches such as this can be significant, especially considering the monetary implications uncovered suggest a striking valuation of over $140 to $200 billion in transactions. This transaction history represents a substantial percentage of Colombia’s economy, highlighting the potential for severe financial and reputational damage.
Additionally, the improper configuration has left the bucket vulnerable not only to sensitive client data but also to database backups. This includes profile pictures, usernames, and hashed passwords, further complicating the security landscape. Researchers noted the presence of backdoor code within the bucket, which poses an ongoing threat by enabling unauthorized users to maintain persistent access and potentially redirect visitors to malicious sites.
As for the potential tactics and techniques used in this breach, initial access likely resulted from the misconfiguration allowing external parties to engage directly with sensitive data. Moreover, the findings align with MITRE ATT&CK framework tactics that may include persistence through unauthorized access, exploiting a lack of security measures, and possibly leveraging the exposed data for further phishing attacks or other fraudulent activities.
So far, there is no indication that the compromised files have been utilized in any malicious campaign. Coninsa Ramon H has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the details of this vulnerability, raising concerns about the firm’s commitment to addressing these types of cybersecurity issues effectively.
The confidential nature of the exposed data presents numerous risks, particularly the potential for cybercriminals to exploit this information for a variety of illicit purposes. With the stakes this high, organizations must remain vigilant in refining their data protection strategies and improving configurations to prevent similar breaches from jeopardizing client trust and financial credibility.
