On August 15, 2023, First Farmers Bank & Trust (“FFBT”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that an unauthorized party was able to access confidential FFBT customer information through a vulnerability in software used by an FFBT vendor. In this notice, FFBT explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, financial account numbers, employee identification numbers, addresses, genders, email addresses, phone numbers, zip codes and loan numbers. Upon completing its investigation, FFBT 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 First Farmers Bank & Trust, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. While the recent incident did not involve hackers breaching FFBT’s computer network, they were able to access FFBT customer data through the MOVEit program used by one of FFBT’s vendors. Practically speaking, this puts anyone in receipt of a FFBT data breach letter at an increased risk of 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 MOVEit / First Farmers data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the First Farmers Vendor Data Breach?

The First Farmers data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, FFBT’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, First Farmers relies on various third-party vendors to perform certain services. One of these vendors uses a file-sharing program called MOVEit.

On July 12, 2023, FFBT learned through its vendor that an unauthorized party was able to exploit a vulnerability within MOVEit. The vendor also informed FFBT that the unauthorized party gained access to confidential information belonging to FFBT clients through the vendor’s MOVEit server.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, First Farmers 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, financial account number, employee identification number, address, gender, email address, phone number, zip code and loan number.

On August 15, 2023, First Farmers 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 First Farmers Bank & Trust

Founded in 1885, First Farmers Bank & Trust is a financial institution based in Converse, Indiana. FFBT offers the traditional range of banking products, including business and personal checking and savings accounts, various loan products, treasury management services, CDs & IRAs, and more. First Farmers operates locations in Indiana and Illinois. First Farmers employs more than 377 people and generates approximately $93 million in annual revenue.