On January 26, 2023, Matco Tools Corporation filed notice of a data breach with the Maine Attorney General’s Office following a cybersecurity incident that leaked confidential consumer information that was in the company’s possession. Based on the company’s official filing, the incident resulted in an unauthorized party gaining access to consumers’ names and Social Security numbers. After confirming that consumer data was leaked, Matco began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach letter from Matco Tools, it is imperative that you do not disregard it. As we’ve discussed in prior posts, companies are legally required to inform you after they leak your personal information. These data breach letters contain valuable information that can help you assess the threat of identity theft and determine how best to protect yourself in the wake of a breach. Of course, given the amount of time that’s passed since the Matco breach, it’s possible that you’ve already experienced fraud or will be the target of identity theft in the near future. Depending on the outcome of the pending investigation into the Matco data breach, affected consumers may be able to pursue a data breach lawsuit against the company if the evidence suggests that Matco was negligent in how it handled the consumer information in its possession.
What We Know So Far About the Matco Tools Breach
The available information regarding the Matco Tools breach comes from the company’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine. According to this source, Matco recently concluded its investigation into a cybersecurity incident that occurred earlier in 2022. Evidently, the company’s investigation confirmed that an unauthorized party was able to gain access to the Matco computer network on or around March 1, 2022.
In response, Matco launched an investigation into the incident after disconnecting the affected systems and disabling the accounts associated with the suspicious activity. This investigation confirmed the unauthorized access and also revealed that some of the files that were accessible to the unauthorized party contained sensitive consumer information.
Upon discovering that confidential consumer data was made available to an unauthorized party, Matco Tools 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 and Social Security number.
On January 26, 2023, Matco Tools sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident. The Maine Attorney General’s “Data Breach Notifications” page notes that an estimated 14,342 individuals were impacted by the Matco Tools data breach.
More Information About Matco Tools Corporation
Founded in 1946, Matco Tools Corporation is a home improvement & hardware retail company based in Stow, Ohio. Matco manufactures, sells and services more than 13,000 tools, including hand tools, power tools, diagnostic scanners, and automotive specialty tools. Matco Tools is a subsidiary of the Vontier Corporation, a global industrial technology company that is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “VNT.” Matco Tools employs more than 637 people and generates approximately $139 million in annual revenue. Matco Tools’ parent company, the Vontier Corporation, employs more than 8,500 people and generates approximately $3 billion in annual revenue.
