Wright & Filippis Data Breach Affects Nearly 900K

Michigan-based manufacturing company Wright & Filippis dates back to 1944. It employs nearly 300 people and brings in over $30M in revenue. Unfortunately, it recently suffered a data breach affecting almost 900,000 people. The breach occurred when someone accessed their network without authorization and accessed a lot of sensitive information that could result in identity theft. The fallout from this breach could be something people do not see the extent of for many years. 

How Did the Attack Occur?

Cyber attackers went after Wright & Filippis in the form of a ransomware attack. The company has not said anything about how the attackers got into their network, but they are conducting an investigation to find out more. The initial investigation has shown so far that not only were the hackers able to view and read the data on their network, but they could have also removed data to use or sell later. 

What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?

The company focuses on designing and manufacturing orthotics, accessibility solutions, and, most prominently, prosthetics for people all around the area. This results in them having access to a lot of personal data. Some of the visible information includes: 

• Birthdates
• Social security numbers
• Names
• Patient identification numbers
• Health insurance information
• Financial account data
• And more

How Did Wright & Filippis Admit to the Breach?

The breach came to light when the company, Wright & Filippis, filed notifications with both the California Attorney General's office and the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. After those notifications were filed, the company also began sending letters to those they believed could be affected by any part of the data breach. The letters provided data about the breach and listed some of the data that could have been compromised during the attack. So far, there is no evidence that negligence was behind this attack. However, further investigations may change that. 

What Will Become of the Stolen Information?

No one knows for sure what the cyber attackers plan to do with the information they stole. However, it could be a big problem for the company. Hackers could use this data to steal any accessed individuals' identities. Plus, they could also use that information to set up false accounts in those people's names without entirely stealing their identity. Beyond that, they may also sell the data on the Dark Web, meaning that anyone could buy it for minimal fees and do whatever they want with the information. 

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

Following any type of data breach, affected individuals should always be on the lookout for unusual activity in their credit history, credit and debit cards, and financial accounts. Charges you do not recognize in any of these locations are something to note. Hackers often charge as little as a dollar to an account just to ensure that the account is active, planning to use it again later. You can also invest in identity monitoring services as a way to keep your data safer.