Uber to pay Washington $5.8 million over major data breach

SEATTLE (AP) — The ride-hailing company Uber will pay Washington state $5.79 million after it failed to notify drivers that their personal information was accessed as part of a major data breach.

The settlement announced Wednesday is part of a $148 million joint resolution with all 50 states and the District of Columbia related to the November 2016 data breach.

Uber acknowledged the breach in November 2017, saying it paid hackers a $100,000 ransom to destroy personal data they stole concerning more than 57 million customers and drivers. The breach affected about 13,000 Uber drivers in the state.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson says Uber is required to tighten data security and make sure changes it puts in place are effective.

Uber's chief legal officer, Tony West, says the company will continue to invest in protections to keep data secure.