A major data leak has exposed over 5.4 million job applicant records stored by hiring platform Foh&Boh, leaving sensitive information—including phone numbers, emails, and employment details—publicly accessible for months.
The records were stored in an unsecured Amazon Web Services (AWS) bucket, making them freely accessible to anyone who found them. Some of the companies affected include Taco Bell, KFC, Hyatt, Grand Omni Hotels and Resorts, and Nordstrom, meaning that applicants to these businesses may now be at risk.
What Was Leaked?
The leaked data contains:
– Phone numbers
– Email addresses
– Dates of birth
– Job histories
This kind of information is valuable to attackers looking to commit identity theft, create fake profiles, or launch phishing scams. Since the leak was active from at least September 2024 until it was secured in January 2025, it’s unclear how many bad actors may have accessed the records.
Rising Security Concerns for Job Seekers
Data leaks from hiring platforms can have long-term consequences. Cybercriminals can use exposed personal information to impersonate victims, apply for credit in their names, or send targeted phishing emails that appear to come from legitimate businesses. Many companies like Foh&Boh handle large amounts of private data, and while they should have strict security measures in place, cases like this show that negligence can still lead to massive breaches.
What You Can Do Now
If you’ve applied for a job using Foh&Boh, take action now:
– Monitor your credit reports for any suspicious activity.
– Be cautious with emails and phone calls asking for further personal information. Phishing attempts using your leaked details might look very convincing.
– Limit personal data shared on future applications when possible. Avoid uploading sensitive documents unless absolutely necessary.
– Consider an identity protection service to track potential misuse of your information.
Companies Must Do Better
This incident highlights the increasing risks of relying on third-party hiring services. While applying online is convenient, companies need to ensure that applicant data is stored securely. Foh&Boh’s failure to protect such a large number of files reveals a lack of proper security measures, and this should serve as a warning to other hiring platforms—poor data management puts millions at risk.
Job seekers shouldn’t have to worry about their personal details being mishandled, but as breaches like this continue to happen, it’s clear that extra caution is necessary.
