Cybercriminals breach Aflac as part of hacking spree against US insurance industry


Cybercriminals have breached insurance giant Aflac, potentially stealing Social Security numbers, insurance claims and health information, the company said Friday, the latest in a spree of hacks against the insurance industry.

With billions of dollars in annual revenue and tens of millions of customers, Aflac is the biggest victim yet in the ongoing digital assault on US insurance companies that has the industry on edge and the FBI and private cyber experts scrambling to contain the fallout. Erie Insurance and Philadelphia Insurance Companies have also reported hacks this month, which in those cases have caused widespread disruptions to IT systems used to serve customers. All three insurance-company hacks are consistent with the techniques of a young and rampant cybercrime group known as Scattered Spider, people familiar the investigation tell CNN.

Read more…
Source: CNN News


Sign up for our Newsletter
The latest news and insights delivered right to your inbox.


Related:

  • Canada: RCMP confirms ‘alarming’ cyber event targeting its networks

    February 23, 2024

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed to CTV News on Friday that it was dealing with a cyber event that targeted its networks, forcing it to launch a criminal investigation into the breach. “At this time, there is no impact on RCMP operations and no known threat to the safety and security of Canadians,” RCMP media ...

  • China’s top anti-espionage authority warns of secret leaks through smart wearable devices

    February 23, 2024

    China’s top anti-espionage authority warned on Friday that various smart wearable devices may become “cyber spies” used by foreign intelligence agencies to carry out espionage activities, posing a threat to national security. The Ministry of State Security (MSS) said on its official WeChat account on Friday that when smart wearable devices are connected to smartphones via ...

  • Malawi: Cyber-attack hits immigration service

    February 22, 2024

    Malawi’s government has suspended the issuing of passports following a cyber-attack on the immigration service’s computer network. President Lazarus Chakwera told MPs that the targeting of the department amounted to a “serious national security breach”. He revealed that the hackers were asking for a ransom. But the president said the government would not give in to ...

  • Australia: OAIC to investigate legal consultant’s data breach

    February 21, 2024

    The Australian Information Commissioner has launched an investigation into a law firm that provides legal and consulting services to the government, in relation to a data breach and the publication of some of that data on the dark web. At least 65 government entities were affected by the breach last year. The announcement on Wednesday follows ...

  • Europol: Tips & advice to prevent ransomware from infecting your electronic devices

    February 21, 2024

    Ransomware is a type of malware that locks your computer and mobile devices or encrypts your electronic files, demanding a ransom payment through certain online payment methods (and by an established deadline) in order to regain control of your data. It can be downloaded through fake application updates or by visiting compromised websites. It can also ...

  • Sharp rise in cyber attacks at UK law firms as hackers eye sensitive data

    February 21, 2024

    The number of reported cyber attacks on UK law firms has increased 36 per cent over the past year. According to data by speciality reinsurance group Chaucer, there were 166 reported cyber breaches in 2021/22, this number jumped to 226 for 2022/23 (as of 30 September). Chaucer says that the large number of attacks against law ...