Hackers Claim to Leak Stolen Madison Square Garden Data

The hacking and extortion group ShinyHunters has published data allegedly stolen from Madison Square Garden, according to reporting by 404 Media. The published data, allegedly comprising millions of records across 45GB of files, includes potential personal information from customers and references players and coaches from the Knicks. The data was published not long after the Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973.

A sample of the data reviewed by 404 Media included one file purporting to include the names of "talent," including Knicks members. WIRED has recently reported on Madison Square Garden's extensive use of surveillance technologies, including face recognition systems. Alleged emails in the stolen data viewed by 404 Media include one man complaining about face recognition technology.

MSG did not respond to the publication's request for comment and after the story broke, a federal class action lawsuit was filed over the alleged data breach. The leak comes as companies and governments are reevaluating their use of surveillance technologies. At least three bars in San Francisco's Castro district have been using face scanners at their entrances to collect detailed information on customers.

The bars are using tech from Patronscan, an ID verification company, to collect facial images, names, genders, according to Gazetteer SF, which went to bars using the technology. France's domestic spy agency, the Direction générale de la Sécurité intérieure (DGSI), announced it would stop using Palantir's data and AI tools in the coming years, replacing them with software from French firm ChapsVision. "We must use our own AI models," French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu said.

"We cannot rely on tools developed by foreign powers. France must have its own tools." Apple's 'Hide My Email' tool allows you to generate a random email address that you can use to privately sign-up to new websites and apps, avoiding you handing over personal info to even more websites. However, the company is set to change the way it creates these email addresses.

At present, they all use the @icloud.com domain. Going forward, as TechCrunch reported this week, Apple plans to use the domain: @private.icloud.com. The not-so-subtle change could make it easier for firms to detect people are using the privacy-preserving service and demand sign-ups with an alternative email address.

Why this matters: The leak of allegedly stolen data from Madison Square Garden raises concerns about the security of sensitive information collected through surveillance technologies. As companies and governments increasingly adopt face recognition systems and other surveillance tools, the risk of data breaches and misuse of this information grows. This incident highlights the need for robust security measures and transparency in the use of these technologies.