Hubspot investigating cyber incident targeting customer accounts

HubSpot, the software giant known for its customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation tools, is investigating a cybersecurity incident that targeted several of its customers. The company acknowledged the attack on June 28th after rumors of a potential incident started circulating on social media.

According to HubSpot’s chief information security officer Alyssa Robinson, they first detected suspicious activity on June 22. The attack involved unauthorized actors attempting to access a limited number of customer accounts.

“HubSpot triggered our incident response procedures, and since June 22 we have been contacting impacted customers and taking necessary steps to revoke the unauthorized access and protect our customers and their data,” said Robinson.

No attack group has come out to claim the breach and HubSpot didn’t respond when asked if it had received any communication from the hackers. The exact number remains undisclosed, but reports suggest it's less than 50. The company also noted that there's no evidence the attackers compromised their core product environment or customer data at this time.

This distinction is crucial. Many companies segregate customer data from internal systems as a security measure. If successful, hackers might steal sensitive company information, and intellectual property, or disrupt internal operations in such an attack. However, compromising customer data, like names, email addresses, or financial details, would be a far more serious breach.

As the event unfolds, watching HubSpot’s response plan will be interesting. Their ability to effectively communicate with affected customers, transparently address the issue and demonstrate commitment to stronger security measures will be crucial in regaining trust and minimizing the long-term impact of this cyberattack.

The HubSpot breach was the second major attack last week following an attack on remote software company, TeamViewer. The incidents should serve as a caution for businesses of all sizes. Cybercriminals are working overtime and businesses will need to strengthen their security posture. Employee education, MFA, and access management are some great areas to start.