AWS Security Breach Exposes Sensitive Data of Over 15 Million Volkswagen Customers
A massive data leak at Volkswagen has exposed sensitive customer data from over 15 million enrolled vehicles, highlighting the company’s failure to secure its AWS environment and adhere to regulatory requirements.
According to a presentation on the incident by security analysts, the breach was caused by Volkswagen’s inability to properly protect access to its AWS environment. This led to the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive customer data that was not truncated or encrypted in accordance with GDPR regulations.
Furthermore, the company allegedly violated its own terms of service and regulatory requirements by failing to implement adequate security measures. The incident is a serious concern for both Volkswagen and its customers, who can now expect their personal data to be vulnerable to exploitation.
In other news, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced significant investments in Sub-Saharan Africa, committing over $2.3 billion to drive digital transformation in the region. Since 2018, AWS has invested an additional $1.5 billion, with plans for further investments through 2029.
AWS’s expansion into the African market is aimed at fostering innovation and addressing technology adoption gaps. The company has already established its AWS Africa (Cape Town) Region and aims to transform the region’s digital ecosystem.
AWS Continues Momentum in 2024 with Key Innovations and Integrations
Amazon Web Services (AWS) continued its dominance in the cloud computing market in 2024, driven by significant innovations and integrations across various product lines. The company’s commitment to providing a comprehensive platform for developers and data engineers is evident in its latest moves.
AWS recently introduced S3 Tables, a new feature that allows users to store data in Apache Iceberg, an open table format (OTF). This move enables developers to bring their analytics engines of choice to their data, regardless of where it resides. The integration of S3 Tables with AWS’ near-ubiquitous storage containers, S3 Buckets, is a significant step towards unifying the platform.
Meanwhile, a recent article by Aashish Nair on Towards Data Science provides a practical guide on building a real-time weather data pipeline using AWS Lambda, Kinesis, and DynamoDB. The article highlights the potential of serverless computing for delivering real-time insights in various applications, including weather forecasting.
On the financial front, Amazon’s parent company reported a 45.6% increase in revenue in 2024, with AI innovation driving significant growth expectations for 2025. While details about the exact contribution of AWS to this growth are not available, the article suggests that the company’s continued focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning is likely to be a key factor in its future success.
Overall, AWS continues to lead the charge in cloud computing, with innovations like S3 Tables and serverless computing driving progress in various fields. As the company looks to 2025, expectations of sustained growth and innovation are high.
“Tech Giants Leverage Cloud Computing for Digital Innovation: Mondelez and U Mobile Join Forces with AWS”
Global food company Mondelez International has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate its digital transformation, while Malaysian carrier U Mobile is integrating advanced generative AI solutions into its contact center operations through a collaboration with AWS.
Mondelez International has chosen AWS as its primary provider of cloud computing services, aiming to enhance security, agility, cost efficiency, and reliability across its operations. The company expects this partnership to drive digital innovation, bolstering its artificial intelligence capabilities. With the AWS cloud infrastructure and services, Mondelez is set to improve its overall performance.
U Mobile, a Malaysian carrier, has also partnered with AWS to integrate advanced generative AI solutions into its contact center operations. This strategic collaboration began in July 2024 with a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) that utilized AWS’s Contact Center Intelligence (CCI) solutions powered by Amazon SageMaker and Amazon Bedrock. The PoC focused on improving post-call analytics, allowing the carrier to enhance customer service and improve overall efficiency.
References
1. Volkswagen massive data leak caused by a failure to secure AWS credentials
Cso Online. (2025, January 2). Volkswagen massive data leak caused by a failure to secure AWS credentials [Online article]. Retrieved from https://www.csoonline.com/article/3631055/volkswagen-massive-data-leak-caused-by-a-failure-to-secure-aws-credentials.html
2. AWS Blog – AWS Blog
Amazon Web Services. (2025, January 2). [AWS Blog] [Online blog post]. Retrieved from https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/
3. AWS Invests $2.3 Billion in Sub-Saharan Africa to Drive Digital Transformation
Tech in Africa. (2024, December 31). AWS invests $2.3 billion in sub-saharan africa to drive digital transformation [Online article]. Retrieved from https://www.techinafrica.com/aws-invests-2-3-billion-in-sub-saharan-africa-to-drive-digital-transformation/
4. AWS follows Iceberg path to unite analytics platform
The Register. (2025, January 2). AWS follows iceberg path to unite analytics platform [Online article]. Retrieved from https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/02/aws_iceberg/
5. How I Built a Real-Time Weather Data Pipeline Using AWS—Entirely Serverless | by Aashish Nair | Jan, 2025 – Towards Data Science
Nair, A. (2025, January). How I built a real-time weather data pipeline using AWS entirely serverless [Online blog post]. Towards Data Science. Retrieved from https://towardsdatascience.com/how-i-built-a-real-time-weather-data-pipeline-using-aws-entirely-serverless-12ddbca19289?gi=c62949bdd05b
6. Amazon Rises 45.6% in 2024: Will AWS & AI Innovation Fuel 2025 Rally?
Yahoo Finance. (2024, December 31). Amazon rises 45.6% in 2024: will aws & ai innovation fuel 2025 rally? [Online article]. Retrieved from https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_9397a624-88e3-4c54-aa3c-4da7159353b0
7. Mondelez taps AWS to accelerate digital transformation
Food Business News. (2025, January 2). Mondelez taps AWS to accelerate digital transformation [Online article]. Retrieved from https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/27454-mondelez-taps-aws-to-accelerate-digital-transformation
8. U Mobile, AWS to improve customer service with generative AI
RCRWireless. (2025, January 2). U mobile, aws to improve customer service with generative ai [Online article]. Retrieved from https://www.rcrwireless.com/20250102/featured/umobile-aws-gen-ai
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