Excerpt from Inside the Magic Article, Published on Oct 5, 2024.
The Walt Disney Company is facing a class action lawsuit following a massive data breach that exposed the personal information of thousands of employees and customers. Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the lawsuit alleges negligence and breach of contract, claiming that Disney failed to properly safeguard sensitive data and notify individuals of the breach in a timely manner.
The plaintiff, Scott Margel, leads the lawsuit, representing thousands of former and current Disney employees. The complaint accuses Disney of violating privacy laws and mishandling personal information, including passport numbers, visa details, addresses, and other sensitive data. The breach, linked to hacking group NullBulge, allegedly compromised over 1.2 terabytes of data, including 44 million internal messages from the company’s Slack platform.
NullBulge, the group responsible for the breach, criticized Disney’s treatment of employees and its use of AI, claiming the breach was enabled by an individual with internal access. The exposed data reportedly included spreadsheets with personal information about Disney Cruise Line passengers, further complicating the company’s situation.
The lawsuit alleges that Disney failed to implement adequate cybersecurity measures, leaving thousands vulnerable to identity theft and other risks. Margel and the affected individuals are seeking damages for the exposure of their personal data, citing a lack of clarity on what specific information was compromised and how it might be used in the future.
The incident has sparked renewed conversations about corporate responsibility and data privacy. With high-profile data breaches on the rise, the lawsuit serves as a reminder to companies to bolster their cybersecurity protocols. As Disney faces the legal repercussions, the outcome could have broader implications for how corporations protect personal data in an increasingly digital world.
This case will undoubtedly draw attention to how major companies like Disney handle sensitive information and the long-term impact on their reputation and consumer trust.
To delve deeper into this topic, please read the full article on Inside the Magic.
