CBS, Paramount owner National Amusements reveals it was hacked
National Amusements, the cinema chain and parent company overseeing media titans Paramount and CBS, has acknowledged a data breach wherein cybercriminals accessed the personal details of tens of thousands. The expansive media entity revealed in a mandatory disclosure to Maine’s attorney general that the breach in December 2022 compromised personal data of 82,128 individuals. This
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National Amusements, the cinema chain and parent company overseeing media titans Paramount and CBS, has acknowledged a data breach wherein cybercriminals accessed the personal details of tens of thousands.
The expansive media entity revealed in a mandatory disclosure to Maine’s attorney general that the breach in December 2022 compromised personal data of 82,128 individuals. This revelation emerged a year later as National Amusements commenced notifying the impacted parties.
Maine’s report indicates that National Amusements detected the breach in August 2023. However, specifics regarding the exact nature of the pilfered personal information remain undisclosed. According to Tech Crunch, the official disclosure indicated that the hackers accessed financial particulars, potentially encompassing bank account details, credit card numbers, and associated security credentials.
Given that the breach notification emanated from the company’s human resources leader, it suggests that the compromised data might pertain to its workforce. Yet, National Amusements has been reticent about whether customer or user data faced exposure. Details surrounding the cyberattack’s modus operandi, including potential ransom communications or payments, remain nebulous.
National Amusements chose not to expand beyond its initial breach notification. Molly Morse from Kekst CNC, representing National Amusements, conveyed that the company wouldn’t provide additional insights when questioned about the breach. Representatives from CBS and Paramount also remained silent on the matter.
With a portfolio spanning over 1,500 cinemas nationwide, National Amusements’ prominence stems largely from its dominant position in Paramount and CBS, solidified post the Viacom-CBS amalgamation in 2019.
Separately, Paramount acknowledged another security lapse in August, as indicated in a filing with the Massachusetts attorney general. In this instance, cybercriminals accessed a range of customer details from Paramount, including names, birth dates, and sensitive identifiers like Social Security numbers.
