Password Authenticator Okta Says Hackers Stole Names and Email Addresses of All Its Customer Support Users The breach took place in September.

By Jyoti Mann

Key Takeaways

  • Okta said hackers stole a report with names and email addresses of all customer support users.
  • Those users face an "increased risk of phishing," the password authenticator said in a blog.
  • Okta said earlier this month that 1% of customers were affected by the September breach.
SOPA Images/Getty via Business Insider.
Okta first revealed the hack in September.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

Okta's recent data breach was a lot bigger than previously disclosed.

The password authenticator was hit by a cyberattack in September and said earlier this month that just 1% of its customers were affected.

But in a blog post Wednesday, Okta said hackers stole a report that included the names and email addresses of "all Okta customer support system users."

David Bradbury, Okta's chief security officer, said in the post: "While we do not have direct knowledge or evidence that this information is being actively exploited, there is a possibility that the threat actor may use this information to target Okta customers via phishing or social engineering attacks."

Bradbury advised all customers to use multi-factor authentication, which requires more than one security test, to keep their information safe online.

San Francisco-based Okta offers companies identity management tools including single sign-in and multi-factor authentication for secure website logins. The company has more than 18,000 corporate clients including FedEx, S&P Global, T-Mobile and Zoom, per its website.

The company also suffered at least two security breaches last year, TechCrunch reported. A group of hackers called Lapsus$ extortion group accessed a customer support engineer's account in January 2022 and shared screenshots of Okta's systems, per the report.

Then in August hacking group Scatter Swine gained access to Okta customer data, it claimed in a blog post, breaching more than 100 companies including software firm Twilio.

Okta didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Uber's CEO Says Drivers Have About 10 Years Left Before They Will Be Replaced

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the jobs of human drivers are safe for the next decade, but after that, another type of driver will take over.

Business News

'Everyone Can Profit From It': What Is DeepSeek? China's 'Cheap' to Make AI Chatbot Climbs to the Top of Apple, Google U.S. App Stores

DeepSeek researchers claim it was developed for less than $6 million, a contrast to the $100 million it takes U.S. tech startups to create AI.

Business News

Elon Musk's DOGE Is Hiring People Eager to 'Work Long Hours' to Eliminate 'Waste, Fraud and Abuse' in the Government. Here's How to Apply.

The Department of Government Efficiency is hiring U.S. citizens to help cut spending and headcounts in the federal government.

Business News

'I Love Doing Product Reviews': Bill Gates Stepped Down from Microsoft in 2020, But Admits He Still Spends 15% of His Time Working at the Company

In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, Gates also said he is still close with Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella.

Branding

How to Build a Strong Brand Identity for Your Early-Stage Startup

Branding might not be your first priority, but neglecting it can hurt your startup. A strong brand identity early on sets the stage for marketing success.