On June 14, 2024, Advance Auto Parts, Inc. filed notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission after discovering that hackers targeted the company in a recent cyberattack. In this notice, Advance Auto Parts explains that the hackers who carried out the attack have since posted allegedly stolen employee data for sale, including Social Security numbers. Upon completing its investigation, Advance Auto Parts began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you receive a data breach notification from Advance Auto Parts, Inc., it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Advance Auto Parts data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Advance Auto Parts Data Breach?

The Advance Auto Parts data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Advance Auto Parts’ filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on May 23, 2024, Advance Auto Parts detected suspicious activity within a third-party cloud database used by the company. In response, Advance Auto Parts launched an investigation with the help of cybersecurity experts.

Then, on June 4, 2024, those who claimed to be responsible for the attack began trying to sell the stolen data, which included employees’ Social Security numbers.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Advance Auto Parts reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. Advance Auto Parts is still investigating the incident and reviewing the potentially affected data. However, at this point, Advance Auto Parts explains that it believes the hackers were able to access the Social Security numbers or other government identification numbers of current and former job applicants and employees.

On June 14, 2024, Advance Auto Parts filed its notice with the SEC, noting that the incident was still under investigation. If Advance Auto Parts concludes that employee data was leaked, it will be required to send all affected employees data breach letters. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Advance Auto Parts, Inc.

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is a chain of automotive parts stores with its headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. Advance Auto Parts operates more than 4,900 stores in the U.S. and Canada, as well as over 300 stores under the name Worldpac. Advance Auto Parts employs more than 40,000 people and generates approximately $11 billion in annual revenue.