McDonald's Details

    Organization Logo

    McDonald's

    Chicago, Illinois • employees • Retail

    Industry

    Retail

    Security Incidents

    2

    McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States.

    Security Incidents

    McDonald's Breach of Jun 2021
    Severity Score
    Low to Moderate

    Type

    Data Breach

    Summary

    In June 2021, McDonald's experienced a data breach that exposed sensitive information from its systems in the United States, South Korea, and Taiwan. The breach was orchestrated by an unknown threat actor who gained unauthorized access to the company's internal network. Approximately 500 records were compromised, including customer and employee information such as emails, phone numbers, and delivery addresses. McDonald's quickly identified the breach and took steps to contain it, working with external security experts to investigate the incident. The company assured that no customer payment in...
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    Severity

    The breach was severe as hackers were able to steal data from McDonald's systems in multiple markets including the US, South Korea, and Taiwan, exposing sensitive information of customers and employees.

    Impact

    The breach impacted McDonald's by leading to the exposure of private information of customers and employees in the US, South Korea, and Taiwan, potentially compromising their personal data and privacy.
    McDonald's Breach of Aug 2024
    Severity Score
    Moderate

    Type

    Corporate Breach

    Summary

    On August 22, 2024, McDonald’s Instagram account was compromised by crypto scammers who utilized it to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency named “GRIMACE,” leveraging the company's iconic mascot. The hackers posted deceptive messages claiming that McDonald’s was distributing free cryptocurrency, enticing users with promises of significant returns. These posts included links to malicious websites intended to steal personal and financial information or trick users into investing money.

    The scammers also targeted the personal Twitter account of Guillaume Huin, McDonald’s senior marketing directo...
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    Severity

    The recent hacking incident of McDonald's Instagram account and the Twitter account of a senior marketing director was quite sophisticated. Crypto scammers exploited the platform's massive following to promote a fraudulent scheme involving a fictitious cryptocurrency named "GRIMACE." By posting deceptive messages that claimed McDonald's was distributing free cryptocurrency, they managed to lure unsuspecting users into a pump-and-dump scheme, resulting in an estimated $700,000 in ill-gotten gains.

    The impact of the attack was significant given the number of people potentially exposed to the sc...
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    Impact

    The McDonald’s Instagram hack primarily involved a social engineering scam where crypto scammers commandeered the fast-food giant's account to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. Unfortunately, a significant amount of customer personal and financial data could have been exposed due to malicious links posted by the hackers. These links led users to harmful websites designed to steal this information under the guise of distributing free cryptocurrency.

    While no systems or services were taken offline, McDonald’s suffered reputational damage as hackers manipulated their brand trust. Addit...
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