Maryland Department of Labor Data Breach Exposes 78,000

Exploit: Unauthorized database access
Maryland Department of Labor: Local government agency serving the state of Maryland

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Risk to Small Business: 2.222 = Severe: Hackers gained access to two agency databases that contained personally identifiable information. The breach, which occurred in April, involved data from those who received unemployment benefits in 2012 or pursued a general equivalency diploma in 2009, 2010, or 2014. It’s unclear why the agency waited several months to notify those impacted by the breach, but this cybersecurity incident underscores a troubling trend in government agencies in general and Maryland in particular. The agency will now be responsible for paying victims for two years of credit monitoring services, while also spending precious funds on recovery efforts.

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Individual Risk: : 2.222 = Severe: A damage assessment conducted by a third-party forensics team concluded that no personal information was downloaded in the attack. However, hackers did have access to a deluge of personal data, including names, social security numbers, birth dates, city or county of residence, graduation dates, and record numbers. Those impacted by the breach are encouraged to closely monitor their credentials and to enroll in the credit monitoring services being offered by the agency.

Customers Impacted: 78,000
How it Could Affect Your Customers’ Business:  It’s no secret that data breaches, especially those that compromise sensitive personal information, are always harmful. However, organizations can work to repair the damage by supporting those impacted with protection. By continuously monitoring the Dark Web, where stolen credentials are quickly bought and sold, businesses can grow and retain their customer base while generating loyalty.

Risk Levels:

1 - 1.5 = Extreme Risk
1.51 - 2.49 = Severe Risk
2.5 - 3 = Moderate Risk

*The risk score is calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.


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