On January 22, 2023, Columbus Life Insurance Company filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of New Hampshire after discovering that one of the company’s vendors, First Financial Security (“FFS”), experienced a data security incident. In this notice, Columbus Life explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, Social Security numbers and other personal information. Upon completing its investigation, Columbus Life began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach notification from Columbus Life Insurance Company or First Financial Security, 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 First Financial Security / Columbus Life Insurance Company data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What Caused the Data Breach Affecting Columbus Life Insurance Company Customers?
The Columbus Life Insurance Company / First Financial Security data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Columbus Life’s filing with the Attorney General of New Hampshire provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on October 17, 2023, FFS experienced a ransomware attack involving an unauthorized party attempting to access and freeze the company’s IT system. While the cyberattack was not successful in freezing the company’s network, there was an indication that the hackers were able to access certain information on FFS’s computer network.
In response, FFS launched an investigation with the help of third-party cybersecurity specialists. On November 28, 2023, the FFS investigation confirmed that certain patient information was subject to unauthorized access. FFS then notified Columbus Life Insurance Company on December 22, 2023.
After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, the company reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, Social Security number and other personal information.
On January 22, 2023, Columbus Life Insurance 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 Columbus Life Insurance Company
Founded in 1906, Columbus Life Insurance Company is an insurance company with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. Columbus Life offers life insurance and annuity products to consumers through a network of more than 7,000 independent representatives. Columbus Life is licensed in the District of Columbia and all states except New York. Columbus Life Insurance Company employs more than 5,000 people and generates approximately $5.4 billion in annual revenue.
