Delaware Life Insurance MOVEit Breach Exposes Producer and Client Data

Group 1001 is the parent company of Delaware Life, a long-term financial consultant for organizations. Delaware Life uses a third-party vendor, Pension Benefit Information (PBI), for analysis and research services. PBI, in turn, operates with software created by industry-standard developers; Progress Software’s MOVEit file transfer application is one of these.

How Did the Attack Occur? 

MOVEit is a file transfer software that allows the fluid movement of data between systems; it has been used by thousands of organizations worldwide and within numerous industries. In May, Progress Software announced a zero-day vulnerability within MOVEit’s infrastructure. The result was cybercriminals flocking to the weak spot and experts immediately taking defensive maneuvers. PBI began a reactive system review and discovered an unauthorized actor accessed the information of its producers and clients.

What Information Was Viewed or Stolen? 

The stolen information consists of identifiable data, including full names, residential addresses, dates of birth, and Social Security Numbers (SSNs). Some people may have also had their contract, group number, or policy number stolen. These credentials are enough to cause anyone to fall victim to fraudulent crimes; the corresponding consumer and provider notices point to this, as they suggest monitoring services for those with exposed data. 

How Did Delaware Life Insurance Admit to the Breach? 

In February of this year, Delaware Life discovered ransomware within its systems. They reacted by conducting an investigation. In July, they partially finished the review and sent notices to those believed to be involved. Progress Software announced the MOVEit vulnerability in May, prompting PBI’s investigation. Months later, producers and clients initially not thought impacted may receive notifications. 

What Will Become of the Stolen Information? 

The future of the stolen data is uncertain, mainly because no threat actors claim they have the credentials. Further, though the notices state ransomware was initially involved in the event, they do not indicate the threat actors’ demands. Presumably, this is due to PBI rejecting the demands; regardless of how PBI responded to the attack, consumer and provider information may still be at risk. The assailants having access to the data is enough to warrant precautions.

What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach? 

The total impact of this breach remains unclear; the notices only offer limited information about who may have had their data accessed. Currently, providers and individual clients have had their data access, although the details differ between individuals. Consumers and group members can expect their letter notice in the coming weeks, while providers may need more time. According to the provider notice, Delaware Life will send a list of data of potentially exposed employees. 

Providers and clients don’t need to wait for their physical notice to start taking control of their data security. Make the most of software defenses by enabling multi-factor authentication on all accounts, then update passwords with complex, strong passwords. Most will benefit from investing in monitoring services, deploying suspicious activity alerts, and freezing accounts when possible. Delaware Life providers and clients may have had their data stolen, but there is always time to mollify damages.