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Abu Dhabi Finance Week Cloud Storage Leak Exposes VIP Attendee Data

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1 unique sources, 1 articles

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Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) organizers inadvertently exposed passport details and other identity information of approximately 700 attendees, including former British Prime Minister David Cameron and former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. The data was found unprotected on a cloud storage system associated with ADFW, accessible via off-the-shelf scanning software. The leak included passports, ID cards, and thousands of other documents, potentially exposed for at least two months. ADFW secured the server after being notified by the Financial Times, which reported the incident. The exposure poses reputational risks for Abu Dhabi as it seeks to establish itself as a global financial center.

Timeline

  1. 19.02.2026 22:50 1 articles · 1h ago

    Sensitive Data of 700 ADFW Attendees Exposed in Cloud Storage Leak

    An independent security researcher discovered unprotected passport details and other identity information of approximately 700 attendees of the Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) summit on a cloud storage system. The data, which included high-profile individuals such as former British Prime Minister David Cameron and former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, was accessible via off-the-shelf scanning software. ADFW secured the server after being notified by the Financial Times, which reported the incident. The exposure poses reputational risks for Abu Dhabi's efforts to establish itself as a global financial center.

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Information Snippets

  • The data was discovered by an independent security researcher, Roni Suchowski, using off-the-shelf cloud scanning software.

    First reported: 19.02.2026 22:50
    1 source, 1 article
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  • The exposed data included passports, ID cards, and thousands of other documents associated with ADFW attendees.

    First reported: 19.02.2026 22:50
    1 source, 1 article
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  • High-profile individuals affected included hedge fund billionaire Alan Howard, Binance co-CEO Richard Teng, and EU ambassador to the UAE Lucie Berger.

    First reported: 19.02.2026 22:50
    1 source, 1 article
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  • ADFW secured the server after the Financial Times inquired about the issue.

    First reported: 19.02.2026 22:50
    1 source, 1 article
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  • ADFW stated that access to the data was limited to the researcher who identified the issue.

    First reported: 19.02.2026 22:50
    1 source, 1 article
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  • The data exposure is seen as a reputational blow to Abu Dhabi's efforts to establish itself as a top global financial center.

    First reported: 19.02.2026 22:50
    1 source, 1 article
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