Recently, Kanza Cooperative Association reported a data breach to various state governments stemming from a September 9, 2021 cybersecurity incident. While the many details surrounding the Kanza breach are outstanding, on May 19, 2022, Kanza sent out data breach letters to all affected parties informing them about the incident and providing them with important information they can use to protect themselves from identity theft and other frauds.

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 Kanza Cooperative data breach, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What We Know About the Kanza Cooperative Data Breach

Based on one of the company’s official filings, on September 15, 2021, Kanza detected suspicious activity across its computer network. Following this discovery, Kanza secured its systems, contacted the FBI to report the incident, and engaged in an internal investigation to learn more about the cybersecurity event and what information may have been affected.

The company’s investigation confirmed that an unauthorized third party gained access to the Kanza network on September 9, 2021. After learning about the unauthorized access, Kanza then reviewed the affected files to determine what information was accessible and who it belonged to. As of May 29, 2022, Kanza has not yet publicly reported what types of information were leaked in the recent breach.

On May 19, 2022, Kanza Cooperative sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident.

More Information About Kanza Cooperative Association

Kanza Cooperative Association is a farmer-owned grain coop located in Valley Center, Kansas. Kanza focuses on grain, crop production, commodity trading, and feed. Kanza also markets and sells energy products and services for agricultural, commercial, and residential customers throughout Kansas. Kanza also operates four in Pratt, Stafford and Sedgwick counties. Kanza Cooperative employs approximately 165 people and brings in annual revenue of roughly $105 million.

What Are the Causes of Data Breaches?

Data breaches are receiving more attention than ever before, as they continue to show up in the news more and more frequently. However, while data breaches affected more than 189 million people in 2021 alone, there is still a general lack of understanding when it comes to their causes—as well as their risks.

Data breaches can occur in a number of ways. Most commonly, hackers use either malware or ransomware attacks. Malware, which is short for malicious software, is a general term used to describe any program installed on a victim’s device or network which is intended to disrupt the normal operations of the system. However, in the data breach context, malware programs are designed to leak information contained on the system and relay it back to the hackers orchestrating the attack.

Ransomware involves a specific type of malware. The ransomware program is installed on a victim’s device or network, at which point it encrypts some or all of the victim’s files. Once the victim logs back onto their computer, they are met with a message demanding the payment of a ransom in exchange for hackers allowing the victim access to their computer.

Often, the goal of malware and ransomware attacks is to obtain sensitive consumer information that can either be used or sold by the hackers. The types of information that are most commonly sought after in these attacks include:

• Names and addresses,

• Social Security numbers,

• Bank account numbers,

• Credit and debit card numbers,

• Insurance information, and

• Healthcare information.

Given the importance of this information—and the relative ease with which hackers can use it to steal a victim’s identity—it is imperative data breach victims understand their rights and what they can do to protect themselves in the wake of a breach.