MOVEit Breach Creates More Victims; 105k Records Stolen from Insurance Group

The Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) provides various insurance plans across the states and beyond. PALIG employs more than 2,100 staff and has a 110-year history of providing insurance to those needing it. Companies and individuals turn to PALIG in their time of need, and PALIG returns the favor by providing high-quality insurance options. PALIG’s widespread influence may have made them a target; however, they’ve filed a breach notice indicating significant losses from the global MOVEit event.

How Did the Attack Occur? 

MOVEit is a file transfer solution that allows users and organizations to move data files seamlessly between otherwise differing systems. Progress Software created it and soon became a top-choice solution for organizations worldwide. Unbeknownst to those organizations, MOVEit suffered from a zero-day vulnerability; the weakness allowed cybercriminals to enter sensitive servers, including over 2,000 unique databases globally. PALIG’s breach event was one of these, exposing the personal information of those in their system to bad actors. Additionally, although the cybercriminal gang CL0P has claimed the MOVEit breach as their work, it is unclear if PALIG’s breach is connected. 

What Information Was Viewed or Stolen? 

PALIG’s breach includes sensitive personal information, but the specifics differ between individuals. The stolen information may include full names, addresses, contact information (phone number and email), birthdays, Social Security Numbers, driver’s license numbers, medical and medical benefits data, subscriber account numbers, some biometric data, financial account information, and credit card details. 

Further, it is not clear what groups may have had their data stolen. The stolen information likely comes from clients of PALIG, but it may also come from employees or otherwise connected associates. The significant number of stolen records should be cause for alarm; those with relationships to PALIG must consider data protection services as soon as possible. 

How Did Pan-American Life Insurance Group Admit to the Breach? 

According to the breach filing published on the Maine Attorney General’s website, PALIG’s breach occurred around May 28th, 2023; a few days later, on May 31st, Progress Software publicly announced MOVEit’s zero-day vulnerability. The announcement would open investigations globally, including PALIG, which discovered their breach on or around June 1st. PALIG immediately launched an investigation that did not conclude until on or around October 31st. Since then, PALIG has presumably been working to notify impacted parties and state officials; on or around December 4th, PALIG sent notifications to those possibly impacted. 

What Will Become of the Stolen Information? 

The information stolen from PALIG is enough to disrupt the lives of those the event impacts. The victims may face future data misuse in the form of impersonations or fraudulent activities. Those with stolen medical information are at particular risk for medical fraud, which can put the data owner in financial and physical danger. The only solution is to take action; impacted parties must invest in data protection.

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

The data owner partially determines what happens in the aftermath of the breach. Those who don’t act (because there are no signs of misuse yet) are at high risk of falling victim to cybercriminals. They often won’t know about the misuse until they face the consequences, including monetary losses or criminal charges. Subsequently, individuals involved in this breach must consider data protection. Invest in monitoring services for identity, credit, medical, and financial accounts. They must also never offer or confirm personal information with strangers through email, text, phone, or online.