In February , Toyota Italy announced that it had suffered a data breach that compromised the personal data of thousands of customers. The breach was reportedly caused by a cyber attack on a third-party provider that handled Toyota Italy’s sales and marketing data.

The incident, which occurred on February  affected up to 37,000 customers of Toyota Italy. The compromised data included customers’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers, as well as their email addresses and vehicle identification numbers. The data breach did not include any financial or credit card information.

Toyota Italy immediately launched an investigation into the incident and notified the Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali) and the affected customers. The company also took steps to strengthen its IT security measures and improve its data protection procedures.

The Italian Data Protection Authority launched its own investigation into the incident and found that Toyota Italy had not adequately protected the personal data of its customers. The authority ordered Toyota Italy to take immediate corrective measures to prevent any future breaches and imposed a fine of 180,000 euros ($215,000) for violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The Toyota Italy data breach serves as a reminder of the importance of proper data protection and IT security measures. Companies must ensure that they have strong data protection procedures in place and that all employees and third-party providers are aware of their responsibilities when handling sensitive data. It is also crucial for companies to respond quickly and transparently in the event of a data breach, notifying all affected parties and taking swift action to prevent any further breaches.

The incident also highlights the potential risks associated with third-party providers. Companies must ensure that any third-party providers they work with have adequate security measures in place and that they are regularly audited and monitored for compliance with data protection regulations.

Overall, the Toyota Italy data breach is a cautionary tale for all businesses to prioritise the protection of personal data and the implementation of robust IT security measures to prevent cyber attacks and data breaches.