Sensitive Data of Over 3 Million Americans Exposed in Major Data Breach

A significant data breach at DISA Global Solutions, a prominent US employee screening company, has compromised the personal information of over 3.3 million people. DISA, which provides background checks and drug testing services to major US corporations, confirmed the breach in a recent filing with the Maine Attorney General’s office.

The cyberattack, which took place on February 9, 2024, went undetected for more than two months. The breach was only discovered on April 22, 2024, after an internal investigation revealed that an unauthorized entity had gained access to a “limited portion” of the company’s network.

In its breach notification, DISA acknowledged that while the attacker had “procured some information,” the company could not fully determine the extent of the data accessed. This has raised concerns about the scale of the breach and the sensitive nature of the exposed information.

The compromised data includes highly sensitive personal details such as:

Social Security numbers

Credit card and financial account information

Government-issued identification documents

DISA handles vast amounts of personal and sensitive information as part of its services to over 55,000 businesses, including a third of Fortune 500 companies. The company collects extensive data, including applicants’ work history, educational background, criminal records, and credit history.

The breach affected over 360,000 residents in Massachusetts and more than 15,000 in Maine. The company has yet to confirm if any other states were impacted.

As of now, the identity of the hackers and the method used to breach DISA’s systems remain unclear. The company has not provided specific details on how the attack occurred or which vulnerabilities may have been exploited.

This incident highlights the growing risks of data breaches, especially for organizations handling sensitive personal information. With hackers continuously evolving their tactics, the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures has never been more urgent.

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