Threatening Emails from Thailand Lead to Cyber Crime Investigation at HDFC Life Insurance

Mumbai: The cyber crime branch of the Mumbai police is investigating a data breach at HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd after threatening emails were sent from Thailand. The emails, received by the company on November 19, warned of leaking customer data unless the company paid a ransom. The sender attached sensitive details of 99 customers, including names, policy numbers, addresses, and mobile numbers.

The Mumbai police have tracked the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the sender to Thailand and will soon request assistance from Thai authorities via a Letter Rogatory. A police officer revealed, "We have identified the location from where the data was downloaded and the emails sent."

The case was registered under sections 308(3) (extortion) and 351(4) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000. HDFC Life Insurance confirmed the breach and assured customers that a thorough investigation was underway, alongside an information security assessment.

The company's regulatory disclosure emphasized their commitment to data privacy and outlined immediate measures taken to assess the breach and take corrective action.