Uber's $148m Security Mistake

In 2016, Uber suffered a major data breach that exposed the personal information of 57 million users and 600,000 drivers. Instead of disclosing the breach, Uber secretly paid the hackers $100,000 to cover it up. However, in late 2017, the company publicly admitted to the incident and was fined $148 million for failing to report it.

How the Breach Happened

Two attackers gained access to an Uber engineer's GitHub account using credentials leaked from a previous breach. At the time, Uber had no policies enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) or preventing credential reuse, which allowed the attackers to access Uber's private repositories on GitHub.

Within these repositories, they discovered a hard-coded AWS access key. This key provided unrestricted access to Uber's unencrypted S3 storage, which contained personally identifiable information (PII) of over 57 million users and 600,000 drivers.

What Went Wrong and How to Fix It

1. Lack of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
   • Failure: Uber did not enforce MFA for accessing critical systems such as GitHub, leaving accounts vulnerable to credential theft.
   • Fix: Implement mandatory MFA for all developer accounts, especially those with access to code repositories and sensitive infrastructure. Enforce password managers and security policies to prevent credential reuse across platforms. Additionally, use Single Sign-On (SSO) with strong authentication mechanisms (e.g., FIDO2, hardware security keys).
2. Hard-Coded AWS Access Keys in Code Repositories
   • Failure: Storing credentials as plain text in code repositories is a critical security risk and has been listed in the OWASP Top 10 and SANS Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Errors for years.
   • Fix:
     1. Store secrets in a secrets management tool (e.g., Vault++, AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault).
     2. Implement automated scanning tools (e.g., Vault++, TruffleHog) to detect exposed credentials.
     3. Use pre-commit hooks (e.g., Vault++, GitLeaks) to block commits containing secrets before they reach the repository.
     4. Rotate and revoke exposed credentials immediately if detected. Leverage instant rotation tools such as Vault++ to avoid human error if possible.
3. Unrestricted Access Rights
   • Failure: Engineers had unnecessary access to production environments, including personally identifiable information (PII).
   • Fix:
     1. Implement the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) to ensure that engineers only have access to the minimum data necessary for their roles.
     2. Use role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC) to enforce permissions.
     3. For rare cases where engineers need access to sensitive data, enforce temporary access with an approval process (e.g., Vault++ Reveal Request / Merge Request).
     4. Regularly audit access permissions and remove unnecessary privileges.
4. No Anomaly Detection for Access to Sensitive Data
   • Failure: There was no real-time monitoring to detect unauthorized access or suspicious activity involving sensitive data.
   • Fix:
     1. Implement continuous monitoring and logging of access to sensitive data (e.g., Vault++ Audit Logs, AWS CloudTrail logs).
     2. Set up automated alerts for unusual access patterns, such as bulk data downloads, logins from unusual locations, or access outside business hours.
     3. Use machine learning-based security analytics tools (e.g., AWS GuardDuty, Splunk, Datadog) to detect anomalies and trigger security responses.

Prevent the Next Breach with Vault++

Uber's breach could have been avoided with stronger security controls—exactly what Vault++ is built for. From eliminating hard-coded secrets to enforcing least-privilege access, Vault++ helps you stay ahead of attackers. With automated secret scanning, pre-commit verification, and audit logging, securing your secrets has never been easier.

Don't wait for a breach to take action. Fill out the contact form below to get a demo and see how Vault++ can strengthen your security.