Arizona Insurance Company Notifies 42,000 Individuals of Their Involvement in a Massive Data Breach

  • By Steven
  • Dec 16, 2022

Arizona Insurance Company Notifies 42,000 Individuals of Their Involvement in a Massive Data Breach

Insurance companies are often highly sought after; at least, they are in the criminal world. They hold an extensive amount of information, and when information has fallen into the wrong hands, it could lead to a wide array of problems, most notably identity theft. People need to understand that their personal data goes far beyond just the doctor’s office or hospital they give it to. It goes to the hospital database, and from there, on to the servers of the insurance company.
While many of us think about our insurance companies as roadblocks, they do their best to help in most instances. They are also dealing with a lot of procedures behind the scenes, which sometimes leads to a lapse in security. 

How Did the Attack Occur?

The attack occurred when a third party accessed the company's internal systems, compromising files that contained personally identifiable information (PII). Upon realizing the breach occurred, BGA, or Black, Gould & Associates Inc., hired a third-party forensic investigator and contacted law enforcement. 

What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?

As far as data breaches go, this one had very little information involved. The only thing the hacker managed to access was social security information, making it a minor breach compared to most others we write about.

How Did BGA Admit to the Breach?

BGA admitted to the breach by filing notices with both Maine and Texas' Attorney Generals, as well as sending notifications to the affected parties. There were around 42,000 individuals victimized by the breach, and these people escaped the breach surprisingly easily. Most breaches that include social security numbers also include people's names, birthdays, and, sometimes, certain medical and/or financial information. We understand that an unauthorized party having your social security number is a bad thing, but it could be much worse.

What Will Become of the Stolen Information?

There are many things for sale on the dark web. Rare animals and foods, baby formula, organs; you name it, they'll sell it to you – overpriced as it may be. This also includes a lot of information gained in hacks and data breaches. The highest selling of this information pertains to passports, diplomas, and financial information. A new identity, which includes a name, birthday, and social security number, costs about 60 to 80 dollars on the black market.

What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?

In the aftermath of the breach, we recommend victims take it as a learning curve. Now that you've dealt with this one, you'll be better prepared to handle another as there are thousands of files breached daily. If you're new to the world of cybersecurity, we welcome you! We only wish it could have been under better circumstances. The best thing that anyone can do when their data was exposed through a breach is to invest in identity monitoring services. That way, you know someone else, besides you, is watching out to keep your data safe.

About the Author
IDStrong Logo

Related Articles

Instagram Vulnerability Allowed Hackers Access to Control Your Phone

Security experts Check Point Research discovered a critical vulnerability while examining Instagra ... Read More

Alien Malware Infects More than 226 Mobile Apps and Steals Bank Data

As reported on September 24, 2020, by ZDNet and ThreatPost, a new strain of malware named “A ... Read More

Universal Health Systems Hit by Ransomware Attack

Universal Health Systems (UHS), a Fortune 500 company owning more than 400 hospitals across the co ... Read More

Exchange Server Bug Exposes a Big Risk to Hackers

Months after Microsoft released a patch to fix a serious flaw in MS Exchange Server, more than 61% ... Read More

Clients’ Bank Data Exposed in Blackbaud Ransomware Attack

Blackbaud software was victim to a ransomware attack last May, and new information suggests that c ... Read More

Latest Articles

What is an Incident Response?

What is an Incident Response?

What is an Incident Response? After a bank heist, the work begins with specialized teams and plans engaged, allowing for analysis of the event, and from this analysis, the bank can prepare a response to the incident.

What is a Social Engineering Attack? Techniques and Ways to Prevent

What is a Social Engineering Attack? Techniques and Ways to Prevent

Everyone has received a spam text or email at some point. Their hallmarks are widely known; they often include poor or strange grammar, suspicious links, suggested connections with companies or people, or random individuals asking for help in some capacity.

Side Channel Attack: Everything You Need To Know

Side Channel Attack: Everything You Need To Know

Every year, millions of people get victimized by data breaches. Criminals steal their data from the network environments of organizations, vendors, providers, institutions, and governments; with ever-increasing frequency, cybercriminals are making big moves in the cyber wars—and making billions of dollars. 

Featured Articles

How to Buy a House with Bad Credit

How to Buy a House with Bad Credit

Buying your own home is the American Dream, but it might seem out of reach to those with bad credit. However, the good news is, if your credit is less than perfect, you do still have options and in most cases, can still buy a home.

How Secure Is Your Password? Tips to Improve Your Password Security

How Secure Is Your Password? Tips to Improve Your Password Security

Any good IT article on computers and network security will address the importance of strong, secure passwords. However, the challenge of good passwords is that most people have a hard time remembering them, so they use simple or obvious ones that pose a security risk.

Top 10 Senior Scams and How to Prevent Them

Top 10 Senior Scams and How to Prevent Them

Senior scams are becoming a major epidemic for two reasons. First, seniors often have a lot of money in the bank from a life of working hard and saving.

Free Identity Exposure Scan
Instantly and Securely Check if Your Personal Information is Exposed on the Dark Web or Sold by Data Brokers
Please enter first name
Please enter last name
Please select a state
Close
Free Identity Threat Scan
Instantly Check if Your Personal Information is Exposed
All fields below are required
Please enter first name
Please enter last name
Please enter a city
Please select a state
Please enter an age
Please enter an email address
Close