Coinbase breach linked to customer data leak in India - report

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) was aware as early as January of a customer data leak at an outsourcing firm tied to a broader security breach that could cost up to $400 million, according to six sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters.

At least one part of the breach, publicly disclosed in a May 14 SEC filing, occurred when an India-based employee of the U.S. outsourcing firm TaskUs (NASDAQ:TASK) was caught taking photographs of her work computer with her personal phone, according to five former TaskUs employees, the report said.

The ex-employees said they were briefed on the matter by company investigators or colleagues who witnessed the incident in the Indian city of Indore, noting that the woman and a suspected accomplice were alleged to have been feeding Coinbase (COIN) customer information to hackers in return for bribes.

The ex-employees and person familiar with the matter said more than 200 TaskUs (TASK) employees were soon fired in a mass layoff that drew Indian media attention.

Coinbase had previously blamed "support agents overseas" for the breach, which it estimated could cost up to $400 million.

Coinbase Global's (COIN) recent data breach had compromised 69,461 of the crypto exchange's users, according to a complaint filed with the Main Attorney General's office. About 217 of that total were Maine residents.

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