Blockchain ticketing platform Ticketfly gets bugged, hacker demands 1 BTC

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The hacker reportedly stole personal information from over 26 million users, and has posted the information in a public server.

California-based online ticket distribution service Ticketfly was hacked in May 31 last week and the website is still down as of last check. The website now greets users with the following message:

“Due to a recent cyber incident, ticketfly.com is offline,” their website reads. “We’re working to bring ticketfly.com back up as soon as possible. In the meantime, we encourage you to keep checking in on your favorite venue/promoters’ websites, social media channels, or box offices. Shows are on and tickets are available online and onsite.”

The hacker, only identified as “IsHaKdZ,” at some point replaced the website image with a poster of V for Vendetta.

Check the homepage. pic.twitter.com/KPDu6PsjIJ

— Michael Stenberg (@MichaelStenberg) May 31, 2018

Have I Been Pwned, a website that enables users to check whether their email addresses have been compromised and also launches investigations on compromised websites, included Ticketfly among its list of “Pwned websites.”

“In May 2018, the website for the ticket distribution service Ticketfly was defaced by an attacker and was subsequently taken offline. The attacker allegedly requested a ransom to share details of the vulnerability with Ticketfly but did not receive a reply and subsequently posted the breached data online to a publicly accessible location. The data included over 26 million unique email addresses along with names, physical addresses and phone numbers.”

The hack reportedly leaked 26,151,608 email addresses, along with names, phone numbers, and home and billing addresses which the hacker posted to a public server. The hacker is threatening to leak even more personal data unless a ransom of 1BTC, worth $7,620 as of posting, is paid.

According to Motherboard, the hacker allegedly reached out to Ticketfly warning them of the vulnerability that would enable the hijacking of Ticketfly, asking for 1BTC, worth $7,620 as of posting, in exchange for the details. But Ticketfly ignored it.

Mashable was also in communication with the hacker, who they say sent them a directory with thousands of spreadsheets containing customer and employee data. The files, they say, do not contain credit cards. But this is not a guarantee that the hacker did not gain access to those.

Eventbrite, which owns Ticketfly, confirmed the breach to the Washington Post, adding that an investigation is ongoing and updates on the incident will be given.

“We understand the importance our customers place on the privacy and security of their data and we deeply regret any unauthorized access to it,” the statement added. “This is an ongoing investigation and we will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”

“Our investigation into the incident is ongoing, and it’s critical that the information we share is accurate,” spokeswoman Gemma Pollard said. “We are actively working with a team of forensic and cybersecurity experts. Cyber incidents are unique, and the investigations typically take time.”