With millions of people using Uber's app to transfer customer data and driver data back and forth, it's important that this data is protected. But who is leading and maintaining Uber's sense of security? Uber did not have anyone managing this side of the business for a while. However, the popular ride-sharing service's latest hiring may help it improve its security standing.
Uber CEO Travis Calanick announced the hiring of ex-Facebook executive Joe Sullivan as his company's new chief security officer in a blog post last Thursday. As the Uber market has grown and become a significant part of many cities' transportation infrastructure, Uber must do more to make sure that its userbase's data is still secure and safe.
"It's no longer about traditional metrics for safe transportation or keeping our community's data private and secure, but about how we lead efforts to redefine and strengthen physical and data security in the location-based world," Calanick wrote. That's why he picked Sullivan as his new CSO, who will join the company in late April.
Sullivan has a long history in the world of cybersecurity. "Joe is coming to us after 5 years at Facebook in a similar role after nearly 7 years at eBay and PayPal before that. He also spent 8 years with the Department of Justice as a pioneer in prosecuting cybercrime," writes Calanick.
Sullivan also wrote in the same blog post that he believes building "world-class safety and security" is really important for Uber's mission.
Calanick mentioned in his post that Uber's future security developments will include "biometrics and driver monitoring" for drivers, as well as "inspiring collaborations with city and state governments around the world."
This appointment comes more than a year after a data breach leaked the personal data of 50,000 Uber Drivers onto the Open Internet.
