Breach, Data Security

Personal info of 1m compromised in Nationwide breach

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The FBI is investigating a breach at Nationwide Insurance, where hackers recently accessed the sensitive information of about one million people, including policy and non-policy holders.

Elizabeth Giannetti, a Nationwide spokeswoman, confirmed with SCMagazine.com on Thursday that the incident, where a "portion" of the company's computer network was breached, affects customers, as well as people that requested quotes from Nationwide. Victims span all 50 states.

So far, various officials have confirmed with media outlets that about 30,000 people in Georgia were affected, as well as more than 12,000 in South Carolina. The California Department of Insurance announced Wednesday in a release that approximately 5,050 residents of the Golden State were impacted and that information, such as names, Social Security numbers and other personal identifying data, were stolen in the breach, though no credit card information was accessed.

“It's a small portion of our customers and other non-policy holders that are impacted,” Giannetti said. Non-policy holder data was “not employee information,” but that of people who “may have sought a quote from Nationwide,” she said.

Nationwide has contacted regulators in every state, she said.

The insurance company has not provided details on how a database on its computer system was compromised, but did confirm that the attack occurred on Oct. 3. A third-party company was hired immediately to investigate the data that was compromised, as well as perform a forensic examination of Nationwide's entire network.

Currently, the company is notifying affected individuals by mail. They will be offered free credit monitoring and identify theft protection services for one year. A toll-free number, (800) 760-1125, was also set up to handle questions.

The release from the California Department of Insurance said that Nationwide affiliates affected in the state included Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. Nationwide Insurance Co. of America, Allied Property & Casualty Insurance Co., AMCO Insurance Co., Depositors Insurance Co., and Titan Indemnity Co..

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