On April 14, 2023, Kimco Realty Corporation {“Kimco”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Texas after a company Kimco had acquired, Weingarten Realty Investors, experienced a cyberattack resulting in confidential consumer data being exposed to unauthorized access. Based on the company’s official filing, the incident resulted in an unauthorized party gaining access to consumers’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health insurance information, bank account information, and driver’s license numbers. After confirming that consumer data was leaked, Kimco began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the recent data security incident.
If you previously worked for Weingarten Realty Investors and you received a data breach notification from Kimco Realty Corporation, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, data breaches like these significantly increase your risk of identity theft and other frauds. However, there are steps you can take to limit these risks. Additionally, if evidence emerges that Kimco was negligent in how the company handled your information, you may be entitled to compensation through a data breach lawsuit. Reach out to a data breach lawyer 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 Kimco Realty data breach.
What We Know So Far About the Kimco Realty Breach
News of the Kimco Realty data breach is still fresh; however, what we know at this point comes from the company’s filings with the Attorney General of Texas and the Attorney General of Montana. According to these sources, on February 8, 2023, Weingarten Realty Investors, an information technology network now operated by Kimco, was the target of a cyberattack. In response, Kimco secured and restored its systems, notified law enforcement, and then began working with third-party cybersecurity specialists to investigate the incident.
The Kimco investigation confirmed that the bad actors behind the cyberattack were able to access certain files on the Weingarten Realty Investors IT network. Upon further investigation, Kimco was able to determine that some of these files contained confidential information belonging to certain Weingarten Realty Investors employees, their beneficiaries, and others who had a commercial relationship with the company.
Upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was made available to an unauthorized party, Kimco Realty began to review the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, date of birth, Social Security number, health insurance information, bank account information, and driver’s license number.
On April 14, 2023, Kimco Realty sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident.
More Information About Kimco Realty Corporation
Kimco Realty Corporation is a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) based out of Jericho, New York. The company owns and operates open-air, grocery-anchored shopping centers, as well as a portfolio of other mixed-use assets, with a primary focus on areas surrounding large metropolitan markets. Kimco Realty Corporation is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “KIM.” Kimco Realty employs more than 637 people and generates approximately $1.7 billion in annual revenue.
