Social Security Numbers of Over 1,80,000 Illinoisans Hacked by Threat Actors

• Written by Ari Denial Cybersecurity & Tech Writer

As a result of the attack on Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI), hackers gained access to individual names, dates of birth, financial records, sensitive medical diagnosis and treatment information, Social Security numbers (SSNs), and more personal information.

On 27 January 2022, a non-profit social service provider in Illinois, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) stated that the organization was hit by a severe ransomware attack. After identifying the attack, they promptly disabled and isolated the affected systems. A thorough investigation was started immediately.

“After an extensive forensic investigation and comprehensive review of the data impacted, we determined the extent that the unauthorized party accessed certain files containing personal and health information that were maintained on the affected systems. The types of information potentially involved may include individual names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, financial account information, driver’s license numbers, biometric information, medical diagnosis and treatment information, and health insurance information. We are notifying potentially affected individuals via mail,” said the LSSI officials .

According to a data breach notification sent to the Maine Attorney General, more than 1,84,000 people were affected by the cyberattack.

On January 25, 2023, almost a year after the nonprofit discovered its systems had been breached, LSSI sent letters to potentially affected users. There was no evidence that the stolen data had been used for identity theft or financial fraud, according to LSSI. Threat actors, on the other hand, can sit on stolen data for a while before selling it, or they can compile it into larger sets before selling it at a higher price.

“Involved individuals are encouraged to take steps to protect themselves against identity fraud, including placing a fraud alert/security freeze on their credit files, obtaining free credit reports, and remaining vigilant in reviewing financial account statements and credit reports for fraudulent or irregular activity on a regular basis,” suggested the officials.

Panasonic 2022 Network Hack Results in Data Breach

• Written by Shipra Sanganeria Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
• Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Panasonic Avionics Corp., an in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) solution provider, revealed that personal information of an undisclosed number of individuals was compromised in the December 2022 cyberattack.

In an individual notification to affected individuals, the US-based company disclosed certain details about the incident, including the type of information compromised. ‘’On December 30, 2022, Panasonic identified evidence of an issue potentially impacting certain systems in our corporate network environment that occurred on or around December 14, 2022,’’ the notice read.

In last weeks’ notice filed with the Office of California’s Attorney General , Panasonic said that during the cyberattack, the hacker gained access to certain information collected by the company, from individuals and their employers.

‘’We promptly initiated a comprehensive investigation into the nature and scope of the incident and impacted personal information, engaging cybersecurity and forensics experts to assist in the investigation of the incident, to assess what information may have been impacted, and to identify the individuals associated with that information,’’ the notice read.

While personally identifiable and specific information related to an individual’s health was accessed, the company till date, has no evidence of any data misuse.

The stolen information includes, name, contact details (email address, mailing address, and telephone number), dates of birth, medical and health insurance information, financial account numbers, company employment status, and government identifiers, such as Social Security numbers.

As remediation measures, the company undertook several steps to enhance its network’s security and offered affected individuals a 2-year complimentary identity and credit monitoring services through Kroll. It also advised the said individuals to remain vigilant of any account-related suspicious activity.

A subsidiary of Panasonic America, the world’s leading in-flight entertainment (IFE) solutions has been installed on 15,000+ commercial airplanes, and its satellite Wi-Fi connectivity on over 3,400 aircraft, worldwide.