In recent data breach news, the global technology consulting firm International Data Corporation (“IDC Research, Inc.”) reported a data breach resulting in the sensitive information of certain consumers being compromised. On April 18, 2022, IDC Research sent data breach notification letters to all affected parties informing them of the incident as well as steps they can take to reduce the chances of identity theft.

If you received a data breach letter from IDC Research, your information was compromised in the recent breach. While this isn’t a time to panic, it is important that you understand what is at stake and how to protect yourself from the risks that these cybersecurity attacks pose. To learn more about the steps you can take to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft and what your legal options are following the IDC Research data breach, please see our recent blog post on this topic here.

More Information on the International Data Corporation Data Breach

Information on the recent IDC data breach is quite sparse, as the incident was only reported a few days ago. However, according to the letter sent to victims of the breach, on February 16, 2022, IDC Research discovered that an unauthorized party had gained access to the company’s computer system. In response, IDC research worked with cybersecurity experts to look into the breach, hoping to learn more about its causes as well as whether any consumer data was compromised. Based on this investigation, IDC reports that the unauthorized party first gained access to the company’s computer system around February 14, 2022.

Subsequently, on April 18, 2022, the company sent out data breach notification letters to anyone whose information was affected by the breach. While the data breach letter sent to affected individuals provides the specific information that was available to the unauthorized party, the generic letter available online does not mention the types of information that was leaked.

What Kind of Company Is International Data Corporation?

International Data Corporation is a company focusing on providing market intelligence, advisory services, and events to businesses in various industries, including those operating in the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology sectors. IDC Research is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group, Inc., a technology media, data and marketing company owned by the investment management company Blackstone, Inc. Both IDC Research and International Data Group, Inc. are based in Needham, Massachusetts. International Data Corporation employs more than 2,200 people and generates annual revenue of approximately $464 million.

Was IDC Research Responsible for Preventing the Data Breach?

Data breaches are complex in many ways, not the least of which is determining who bears legal responsibility for a breach. Of course, companies that experience a cyberattack are, on one hand, victims. However, so too are those consumers whose information is compromised as a result of the breach.

When it comes to pointing the finger after a data breach, the hacker or group of hackers that orchestrated the attack is certainly responsible. Of course, locating a hacker in the wake of a data breach is unlikely. And even if you were able to find them, the chance that they would have enough assets to make it worth pursuing a claim against them is low.

However, under the U.S. data breach laws, companies that negligently maintain consumer data may also be held accountable after a breach. The reason for this is that companies often take on a legal obligation when they store consumer information. For example, most data breach claims are based on the legal theory of negligence, which allows victims to hold companies liable if the company violates a duty of care owed to the victim. Additionally, a victim must show that the company’s negligence was the cause or a contributing factor in the harm they suffered. In the context of data breach lawsuits, the harm is most often actual identity theft or the increased risk of identity theft in the future.

While federal law allows data breach victims to hold negligent companies liable after a preventable data breach, these claims are complex. Thus, anyone interested in learning more about data breach claims should consult with a data breach lawyer for assistance.