On November 21, 2023, Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company (“Clear Spring”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of California after discovering a February 2023 ransomware attack. In this notice, Clear Spring explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and contract or policy numbers. Upon completing its investigation, Clear Spring 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 Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common, as hackers can employ “double extortion” techniques to generate profit—either from the company paying the ransom or by selling the stolen data on the dark web. Necessarily, ransomware attacks put victims at a significantly higher risk of experiencing identity theft and other frauds. 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 Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company data breach.

What Caused the Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company Data Breach?

The Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Clear Spring’s filing with the Attorney General of California provides some important information on what led up to the breach.

According to this source, on February 9, 2023, Clear Spring was made aware of a ransomware attack in which hackers targeted the company’s computer network. In response, Clear Spring isolated and secured the affected systems and then began working with data security specialists to investigate the incident and its impact.

The Clear Spring investigation ultimately determined that an unauthorized party was able to access its IT network and remove certain files containing confidential consumer information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. The initial part of Clear Spring’s investigation was completed in June 2023. However, upon further investigation, Clear Spring determined that additional parties had been affected. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, and contract or policy number.

On November 21, 2023, Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company

Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company is a life insurance and annuity company based out of Zionsville, Indiana. Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company is a subsidiary of Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, LLC, an insurance holding company with combined assets under management of approximately $58 billion. Group 1001 employs more than 251 people and generates approximately $67 million in annual revenue.