Hackers hit Apollo, stealing database containing 200 million contact records

• The compromised data includes customers’ names, email addresses, company names and other business information.
• The sales engagement startup discovered the breach weeks after a systems upgrade was implemented in July.

Sales engagement startup, Apollo has reportedly been hacked. The breach compromised a database that contained 200 million contact records, which include contact details of prospective customers from 10 million companies.

The compromised data includes customers’ names, email addresses, company names and other business information. However, Apollo claimed that Social Security numbers and financial data of customers were not affected by the breach.

“We have confirmed that the majority of exposed information came from our publicly gathered prospect database, which could include name, email address, company names, and other business contact information,” the company said in an email sent to affected customers, TechCrunch reported.

Apollo reportedly discovered the breach weeks after a systems upgrade was implemented in July. The company is currently investigating the incident. It is still unclear whether the breach was caused by a security flaw. The identity of the attackers is also currently unknown. If found guilty, Apollo may face a hefty fine from European authorities under GDPR.

Apollo has also yet to specify whether any customer data has been misused. However, this breach is just one victim in a long line of companies that have failed to protect sensitive user data.

“The breach of Apollo’s enormous database of 200 million prospective customers and 10 million companies adds to a growing list of companies that compile large amounts of data yet fail to keep it safe,” said Ruchika Mishra, director of products and solutions, Balbix, Infosecurity reported.