Amazon customers’ names, email addresses have been disclosed in an unexplained data breach just days before its biggest day of the year.
Yesterday the retailer emailed customers who had been affected by the leak, informing them that their details had been made public due to a “technical error”.
Alhough Amazon has not yet confirmed how many people were affected, it is understood that the emails were sent to customers around the world.
It is also thought that the breach happened recently, as under the newly-instated GDPR law companies must inform customers within 72 hours if their information has been breached.
Amazon said the leak happened due to an internal technical error on its site, not due to a security breach from in any of its systems, adding that the issue had now been fixed.
“Our website inadvertently disclosed your email address or name and email address due to a technical error,” Amazon’s email read.
“The issue has been fixed. This is not a result of anything you have done, and there is no need for you to change your password or take any other action. The impacted customers have been contacted.
“Amazon takes all security-related matters very seriously and your account security is our top priority. We have policies and security measures in place to ensure that your personal information remains secure.”
Tomorrow is Amazon’s flagship Black Friday event in which is it set to rake in millions of pounds, and the breach threatens to deter customers from visiting the site.
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