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Hertz Data Breach: What Happened and What Affected Renters Should Do

Hertz says a breach involving file-transfer vendor Cleo may have exposed information tied to Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty. Here is what is known and what affected renters can do.
From TheFinanceBase Team6 min to read
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Hertz confirmed that information associated with Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty was acquired through a breach involving Cleo, a third-party file-transfer vendor. The incident is real, but the available evidence does not show that attackers directly broke into Hertz’s core reservation or rental systems. Some information may have been exposed; the categories varied by person, and Hertz’s U.S. notice did not state how many people were affected.

What happened, and when?

Hertz says an unauthorized party exploited vulnerabilities in Cleo Communications’ file-transfer platform during October 2024 and December 2024. Cleo provided a file-transfer platform used by Hertz for limited purposes. Hertz confirmed on February 10, 2025, that its data had been acquired, completed its review of potentially affected data on April 2, 2025, and began notifying potentially affected individuals in April.

Those dates describe different stages. The reported exploitation occurred in 2024; April 2025 was when Hertz completed its analysis and notifications became public. Hertz’s account is in its U.S. Notice of Data Incident.

Was Hertz directly hacked?

The most precise description is that Hertz data was acquired in a breach involving its Cleo file-transfer vendor. Hertz says the unauthorized party exploited Cleo’s platform. Its SEC filing describes data transferred from Hertz systems to third-party systems through Cleo, and discusses allegations that data may have been acquired through Cleo’s vulnerabilities. The available sources do not establish a direct intrusion into Hertz’s main reservation or rental systems.

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That makes this a third-party or supply-chain data exposure: information handled through a vendor was involved. Hertz’s notice does not name a threat group or establish that the data was published, that the incident is ongoing, or that all affected data was deleted.

Who may be affected?

Hertz’s U.S. notice covers Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty. A person may therefore receive a notice even if their rental was under the Dollar or Thrifty brand. The notice describes potentially affected data, not information necessarily exposed for every recipient.

Regional notices differ. The Canadian notice and EU notice list region-specific information categories. Do not assume the U.S. list applies identically outside the United States.

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What information may have been exposed?

Hertz’s U.S. notice says potentially involved information may have included the following. The exact categories may differ from person to person.

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Categories listed for potentially affected individuals

  • Name and contact information
  • Date of birth
  • Credit-card information
  • Driver’s-license information
  • Workers’ compensation claim information

Additional categories for a very small number of people

Hertz says a very small number of individuals may also have had Social Security numbers, other government identification numbers, passport information, Medicare or Medicaid IDs associated with workers’ compensation claims, or injury-related information connected with vehicle-accident claims involved.

The notice does not say that every person had all of these data types exposed. If you received an individual notice, use it to determine what Hertz says may apply to you.

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How serious is the risk?

Exposure does not by itself mean that someone has stolen money or committed identity theft. Hertz said it was not aware of fraudulent misuse connected with the incident when it issued its notice. That statement does not rule out later misuse or guarantee that no individual was affected.

  • Name and contact details: can support convincing phishing, impersonation or targeted fraud.
  • Date of birth: may help someone pass identity checks when combined with other information.
  • Driver’s-license, passport or government ID information: can increase impersonation and identity-theft risks.
  • Payment-card information: can create a risk of unauthorized transactions or messages designed to trick someone into disclosing replacement-card details.
  • Social Security numbers: can raise the risk of new-account identity fraud; Hertz says only a very small number of people may have had them involved.
  • Workers’ compensation or injury information: can create privacy and reputational harm as well as identity-related concerns.

How many people were affected?

Hertz’s U.S. notice does not state a total number of affected people. SecurityWeek also reported that Hertz had not disclosed a total population at the time of its coverage. Do not rely on unsupported totals circulating online; a number from an individual state filing, if one is cited, should be identified as jurisdiction-specific unless Hertz confirms a broader total.

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Source: SecurityWeek’s report on Hertz’s disclosure.

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What should you do if you received a notice?

1. Verify that the notice is genuine

  • Check for a mailed or emailed notice from Hertz, but do not click links in an unexpected message.
  • Use the official Hertz notice or contact Hertz through information in a notice you trust.
  • The U.S. notice lists a dedicated information line, (866) 408-8964, Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time, excluding major U.S. holidays. Contact details can change, so confirm the number in your own notice before calling.
  • Be wary of anyone claiming to represent a “Hertz settlement” who asks you to pay to claim a benefit.

2. Check whether you qualify for Kroll monitoring

Hertz says it arranged two years of Kroll identity or dark-web monitoring at no cost for potentially affected individuals. The offer is not described as available to everyone, and the notice does not establish whether enrollment is still open. If you received a notice, use its enrollment link or activation code, or confirm the route through Hertz’s official notice or contact channel.

3. Review accounts and credit reports

  • Check bank and credit-card statements for unfamiliar transactions. If you see one, contact the financial institution using the number on your card or its official website.
  • Review your Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty accounts for unfamiliar activity.
  • Look for unexpected emails and texts, especially messages asking you to confirm payment details, passwords or identity information.
  • Review your credit reports for unfamiliar accounts or inquiries. Hertz directs consumers to AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site for free credit reports.

If payment-card information may have been involved, ask your card issuer whether it recommends replacing the card. A replacement is not automatically necessary in every case.

4. Consider a fraud alert or credit freeze

A fraud alert asks creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new credit. An initial alert lasts one year; Hertz’s notice says people who are identity-theft victims may qualify for an extended seven-year alert. A freeze restricts access to your credit file and is generally the stronger measure for helping prevent new-credit accounts from being opened in your name. You can manage freezes with the major bureaus:

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  • Re Inking Unlimitedly: the information blocker stamp can cover information of the length about 100 meters. And each security stamper roller has an oil hole, so you don't have to worry about you having to throw away the roller stamps when the ink runs out. They can be refilled with oil for repeated use, saving time and energy
  • Cover Fast: our identity protection rollers come in 2 different sizes, and you can choose different sizes according to different areas of information to cover large amounts of private information in a fast and clean way, avoiding identity theft and rejecting privacy disclosure harassment
  • Easy to Use: just remove the lid on the ID stamp blocker roller and open it, and then gently slide it on the place where the information needs to be covered. It is suitable for most ordinary paper with black words, and can protect your personal privacy in time
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A freeze can be inconvenient: you may need to lift it temporarily when applying for credit, housing, insurance or certain services. It does not stop phishing, misuse of existing accounts, payment-card fraud, tax fraud or every other form of identity theft.

5. Change reused passwords and enable multifactor authentication

If you reused a Hertz or related-account password elsewhere, change it anywhere it was reused and enable multifactor authentication where available. Hertz has warned in an SEC filing that reused passwords can let criminals compromise accounts at other companies, including loyalty accounts.

Source: Hertz cybersecurity risk disclosure.

6. Keep records of suspicious activity

Save the notice, document unfamiliar transactions or account activity, and keep records of calls with banks, bureaus or Hertz. If you identify identity theft, follow the relevant financial institution’s instructions and consider reporting it to the appropriate authorities.

What did Hertz say it did?

In its notice, Hertz says it worked with Cleo to investigate and address the vulnerabilities, reported the event to law enforcement, began reporting it to relevant regulators, and arranged the Kroll monitoring offer for potentially affected individuals. Those statements describe Hertz’s reported response; the notice does not establish the full technical remediation or whether attackers retained or published any data.

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What is known about the lawsuits?

Hertz’s SEC disclosures describe proposed class actions arising from the incident. A complaint filed by Zain Jiwani on April 15, 2025, named Cleo and Hertz and alleged that Cleo experienced a breach through which Hertz data may have been acquired. Hertz’s filing says ten similar class actions followed and were transferred to the same federal court. The complaints seek injunctive relief and unspecified damages.

These are allegations, not findings that Hertz or Cleo violated the law. A lawsuit does not guarantee compensation, and a law-firm advertisement is not an official claim process. Consult a licensed attorney for advice about your own circumstances. Sources: Hertz’s quarterly SEC filing and Hertz’s annual report.

What remains unclear?

  • The total number of people affected is not stated in the U.S. notice.
  • The notice does not establish whether the data was publicly posted or whether any particular recipient’s information was misused.
  • It does not establish whether Kroll enrollment remains open; eligible recipients should check their notice or confirm with Hertz.
  • The cited filings describe litigation, not its final outcome.
  • The available Hertz statements do not provide full technical remediation details or establish that attackers deleted any acquired data.

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