Star Health has taken legal action against Telegram and a hacker who allegedly leaked sensitive customer data via chatbots on the instant messaging platform. A court in Tamil Nadu has issued a temporary injunction ordering Telegram and the hacker to block any chatbots or websites in India that are distributing the leaked data.
“Confidential and personal data of …customers and of the plaintiff’s business activities in general has been hacked and leaked by using the platform (of Telegram),” news agency Reuters cited a Madras High Court order dated September 24.
Star Health also sues Cloudflare
The report also said that the top insurer has also sued US-based software firm Cloudflare in the lawsuit, saying the leaked data on websites were hosted using its services. The court will hold its next hearing on the case on October 25.
Star Health customer data hacking
The hacking at one of India’s largest health insurers exposed the private details of over 31 million customers, a previous report by the agency said. The stolen data included names, phone numbers, addresses, tax details, copies of ID cards, test results and medical diagnoses of customers.
A user named “xenZen” created chatbots that allowed Telegram users to request and download various documents, including policy details, claims information, and even medical diagnoses.
Star Health acknowledged the breach and said that its initial assessment showed “no widespread compromise” and that “sensitive customer data remains secure”.
“The unauthorised acquisition and dissemination of customer data is illegal, and we are actively working with law enforcement to address this criminal activity. Star Health assures its customers and partners that their privacy is of paramount importance to us,” the insurance company said.