In an age where digital interactions fuel global businesses, the recent Hertz data breach is a sobering reminder of the vulnerabilities that exist not only within organizations but also in their extended vendor networks. A breach of this scale doesn’t just jeopardize a brand’s trust — it puts thousands of individuals at risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and long-term data exploitation.
What Happened at Hertz?
In February 2025, Hertz Global Holdings disclosed that hackers had gained unauthorized access to sensitive customer information. The breach wasn’t a direct attack on Hertz’s internal systems — it originated from a vulnerability in one of its third-party service providers, Cleo Communications, which facilitates file transfer services.
According to the Reuters disclosure, cybercriminals exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Cleo’s platform between October and December 2024. This allowed them to siphon off files containing confidential customer information.
How Did the Breach Occur?
The attackers exploited security gaps in Cleo’s software — specifically, vulnerabilities in how data was encrypted and transferred. Despite Cleo being a widely used enterprise platform, it lacked zero-day detection measures, and its patch management protocols were insufficient to stop the intrusion in time.
This is a textbook example of third-party risk — even companies with robust internal security can be blindsided by weaknesses in their vendor ecosystem.
What Kind of Data Was Exposed?
The exposed data includes:
- Full names
- Contact details (email, phone)
- Driver’s license numbers
- Dates of birth
- Credit card numbers
- Social Security Numbers (in limited cases)
- Workers’ compensation data
- Passport and government-issued ID numbers
Notably, the breach appears to have compromised structured personal information, which can be easily used for identity theft, social engineering, or credential stuffing attacks.
Who Is Affected?
The breach affects Hertz customers across multiple countries:
- United States
- Canada
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- European Union
At least 3,409 Maine residents have already received breach notifications, and that number is expected to rise as forensic analysis continues.
If you’ve rented a vehicle from Hertz in the past year or interacted with their customer service team, your data might be part of this breach.
How Has Hertz Responded So Far?
Hertz has:
- Engaged a cybersecurity forensics firm
- Notified law enforcement and regulatory bodies
- Offered two years of free identity monitoring and dark web surveillance via Kroll
- Assured customers that internal systems remain uncompromised
While these steps are important, they are reactive — the breach had already occurred, and damage was already done.
The Real Cost of Data Breaches
Beyond financial penalties, the cost of breaches includes:
- Loss of customer trust
- Brand reputation damage
- Legal liabilities
- Compliance penalties (e.g., GDPR fines)
- Operational disruption
According to IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a breach globally is $4.45 million — and for breaches involving third-party vendors, the cost rises by 20.5%.
What Makes This Breach Different?
Unlike most data breaches involving phishing or ransomware, this was a supply chain breach — harder to detect, prevent, or control.
The Cleo platform was not inherently malicious — it was simply not secure enough to withstand sophisticated intrusion attempts. This is increasingly common as attackers target overlooked nodes in a company’s digital supply chain.
Lessons Learned for Modern Enterprises
- Zero Trust Isn’t Optional:
- All vendor systems should be treated as untrusted until proven secure.
- Encryption Must Be End-to-End:
- Data must be encrypted not just at rest but also in transit.
- Tokenization > Redaction:
- Redacted data can still be reverse-engineered; tokenization offers higher security.
- Real-Time Threat Detection:
- AI-based tools can help flag unusual access or transfer patterns.
- Audit Your Vendors Regularly:
- Security is only as strong as your weakest link.
How PureWL Prevents Vendor-Triggered Breaches
At PureWL, we specialize in white-label cybersecurity and privacy solutions tailored for B2B brands. Here’s how we help prevent incidents like the Hertz breach:
1. End-to-End Encryption
All data is encrypted with AES-256 and transferred over secure VPN tunnels — even if intercepted, it’s unreadable.
2. Private VPN Networks for Vendors
Vendors and third parties operate in sandboxed VPN environments, isolating sensitive data from potential leaks.
3. Tokenization of PII
Instead of storing raw customer data, we tokenize identifiers so even if stolen, the data is useless.
4. Real-Time Threat Alerts
Our platform includes AI-driven monitoring tools that alert you to unusual activity — before a breach happens.
5. GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 Alignment
Our systems are compliance-ready out of the box — making it easier for your brand to stay on the right side of regulation.
If Hertz had adopted even a fraction of this infrastructure, the breach could have been detected — or prevented entirely.
Why VPN + Encryption = Data Resilience
Combining VPN with encryption is one of the most underused but powerful strategies for preventing data compromise.
- VPN obfuscates traffic patterns
- Encryption secures the payload
- Together, they create an invisible, encrypted layer over your business operations
For companies handling sensitive customer data, this isn’t a bonus — it’s essential.
Learn more about our VPN & encryption suite.
Final Thoughts
The Hertz data breach is a wake-up call. No matter how big or well-established a company is, it’s only as secure as its weakest vendor. Organizations must start treating data security as a strategic asset — not a compliance checklist.
If you’re a business looking to protect your users’ data and avoid becoming the next headline, it’s time to consider a comprehensive privacy layer that shields you and your partners.