You remember the old McDonald’s tagline, right? 

“Billions and billions served.” 

It’s still emblazoned on signs across the country. 

Well, they might want to update it: “Millions and millions exposed.” 

The McHire Chatbot Breach: What Happened? 

Last month, news broke that McHire, McDonald’s AI-powered hiring assistant, suffered a major data breach. The damage? Personal information from up to 67 million job applicants was compromised. We’re talking names, emails, resumes, and in many cases, even personality assessments. 

Now here’s the kicker: 

This wasn’t some genius-level hacker team pulling a Mission Impossible hack. It was two basic failures that opened the door: 

  1. The vendor who built the chatbot left a backdoor open, meaning anyone with an account could potentially access other applicants’ data. 
  2. The admin credentials were comically weak. The username and password were both literally 123456. Once that admin account was compromised, everything behind it was wide open.   

Why Should Small Businesses Care? 

You might be thinking: 

 “Well, I didn’t apply for a job at McDonald’s, so this doesn’t affect me.” 

 Maybe not directly. But this breach is a textbook lesson for business owners on how cyber threats work today. 

First off, note that the breach wasn’t found by a hacker but by security researchers. These researchers tend to focus on “big fish” systems like McDonald’s. But hackers? They’re looking for you. 

They are looking at anyone who stores valuable data and may lack top-shelf cybersecurity. You’re a much easier target. Thanks to tools available on the dark web and AI-assisted attacks, it takes less time and skill than ever to breach your systems. 

Today’s cybercriminals don’t need to write code. They buy plug-and-play hacking kits off the dark web. They use AI to write phishing emails that look shockingly real. And once they get into your systems (or your vendor’s systems), you’re the one who has to clean it up, notify customers, and deal with the fallout. 

4 Cybersecurity Principles Every Business Should Practice 

Let’s break down the key takeaways from this mess.  

Principle #1: Use Strong Security Measures (Passwords + MFA) 

If your admin password is 123456, you’re practically inviting a breach. Every account should use complex passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA). No exceptions. Even temporarily disabling MFA can have crippling effects. You need to work with your IT MSP if you need to temporarily get around MFA protocols.   

Principle #2: Use a Password Manager 

Don’t expect yourself or your employees to memorize 20 secure passwords. Use a reputable password manager to store and auto-generate complex passwords. We recommend Password Boss for our clients. It dramatically reduces the risk of reusing the same credentials (which is how a lot of breaches start). 

Principle #3: Train Frequently on Cyber Hygiene 

You should train for phishing emails, suspicious links, and social engineering tactics. Cybersecurity training isn’t a one-and-done. Make it a regular part of your business culture.  

If you don’t already do this, know that there will be push-back from your employees. This includes any new training or even tools like MFA authentication.  Make sure you emphasize the “why” behind your new practices and policies. Once employees understand that these new practices may prevent real-world impact on their duties or even paychecks, you are more likely to get buy-in. 

Principle #4: Expect Vendor Compromise 

It’s almost inevitable that some vendor you use will experience some kind of compromise. You should trust your IT MSP to stay abreast of what is happening in the cybersecurity world, to alert you of needed changes, and to manage your systems safely and securely. Depending on the situation, some consequences may be unavoidable, but you want to minimize impacts as much as you can. 

Final Word: Don’t Wait for a Breach to Wake You Up 

Breaches like McDonald’s show how low-effort mistakes can result in massive exposure. And in the SMB world, one breach can be enough to damage your reputation, drain your resources, and cost you clients. 

Cybersecurity isn’t just for tech teams or Fortune 500s. It’s for anyone who wants to stay in business. And that means protecting your systems, your people, and your partnerships.