Recently, Ardagh Glass, Inc. learned that the company was the target of a criminal cyberattack resulting in an unauthorized party being able to access the personal information of certain consumers. According to Ardagh, the breach resulted in the names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, other governmental identification numbers, birth certificates, financial account numbers, and work-related injury information being compromised. On July 5, 2022, Ardagh filed official notice of the breach and sent out data breach letters to all affected parties. As many as 5,656 individuals are believed to have been impacted by the Ardagh data breach.

If you received a data breach notification, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. To learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft and what your legal options are in the wake of the Ardagh Glass data breach, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What We Know About the Ardagh Glass Data Breach

According to an official notice filed by the company, on May 2, 2021, Ardagh discovered that portions of its computer network had been encrypted by hackers in a ransomware attack. Based on a subsequent investigation, the company learned that, as a result of the incident, hackers had access to the company’s computer network between April 23, 2021 and May 19, 2021.

Subsequently, in October 2021, hackers posted links to data that they alleged was stolen during the Ardagh ransomware attack. However, the company notes that these links were only available to certain individuals who have “special software and knowledge.” Regardless, Ardagh then worked with outside cybersecurity professionals to investigate the incident in hopes of learning what, if any, consumer data was impacted by the security breach.

In June 2022, Ardagh confirmed that the personal information of some employees was contained in the files that were accessible to the unauthorized party. The company was also able to verify that this data was posted on the dark web.

Upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Ardagh Glass then reviewed the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which employees were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, Social Security Number, driver’s license number, passport number, other governmental identification number, birth certificate, financial account number, or work-related injury information.

On July 5, 2022, Ardagh Glass sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident. In this letter, Ardagh provides additional information about the incident. For example, the company explains that the servers targeted by the hackers ”were unreliable and slow, which prolonged Ardagh’s efforts to obtain a copy of the data even with the assistance of cybersecurity experts.”

More Information About Ardagh Glass, Inc.

Ardagh Glass, Inc. is a supplier of glass supplies that primarily serves craft breweries and craft food manufacturers. However, the company is owned and operated by Ardagh Group, which is a global supplier of metal and glass products. Ardagh Group is based in Luxembourg but runs U.S. operations out of Bridgeton, New Jersey. The company operates 65 metal and glass production facilities in 16 countries. Ardagh Glass employs more than 724 people and generates approximately $121 million in annual revenue; however, its parent company, Ardagh Group, employs 20,000 people globally and brings in roughly $10 billion in global sales.

The Ardagh Breach Is a Prime Example of Recent Ransomware Trends

To the company’s credit, Ardagh provided much more detail than most in its data breach letter to employees regarding what led to the incident. Unfortunately, while most companies’ data breach letters offer far less information to affected parties, the result of the Ardagh breach is not uncommon.

Ransomware criminals have always used these attacks to make money off of victims. However, traditionally, the main incentive for paying a ransom was to regain access to an encrypted device. It wasn’t until more recently that hackers started to threaten to publish stolen data on the dark web if a company does not comply with the hackers’ demands.

Of course, the threat of publishing stolen consumer data provides a major incentive for companies to pay a ransom because they don’t want to be associated with the identity theft that can follow these attacks. However, companies are in the best position to not only prevent ransomware attacks but also to ensure that hackers do not post consumer data on the dark web.

Once a consumer’s information is posted on the dark web, it is accessible to anyone. While Ardagh notes that users must have “special software and knowledge” to access files posted on the dark web, it begs the question, what type of people would go through that trouble. Certainly, most law-abiding citizens do not have the time or interest to download special software just to access stolen information. The reality is that criminals are constantly prowling the dark web for information they can use to commit identity theft and other frauds. Thus, those who were impacted by a ransomware attack such as the Ardagh data breach should ensure they take all necessary precautions to protect their information.