On May 29, 2024, Santander Group, the owner of Santander Bank (“Santander”), filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Vermont after discovering that an unauthorized party was able to access and remove information from the company’s computer network. In this notice, Santander explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access employees’ sensitive information, which includes their names, bank account information, and Social Security numbers. Upon completing its investigation, Santander 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 Santander Bank, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. 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 Santander Bank data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Santander Bank Data Breach?

The Santander Bank data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Santander’s filing with the Attorney General of Vermont provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on May 10, 2024, Santander learned that an unauthorized party had gained access to its computer network between late April 2024 and May 2024. In response, Santander secured its system, eliminated unauthorized access, and launched an investigation to determine the scope of the incident.

Ultimately, Santander was able to confirm that the unauthorized party had been able to access confidential information belonging to certain U.S.-based employees.

After learning that sensitive employee data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Santander Bank reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which employees were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, bank account information, and Social Security number.

On May 29, 2024, Santander Bank 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 Santander Bank

Santander Bank is a financial institution with a U.S. headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. However, Santander Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, a large, multinational bank based in Madrid, Spain. Santander Bank employs more than 17,200 people and generates approximately $3.3 billion in annual revenue. Banco Santander, Santander Bank’s parent company, generates $65 billion in annual revenue and employs a total of over 200,000 people.