A multistate lawsuit against software company Blackbaud has been settled, according to the North Carolina Attorney General’s office. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein recently announced the $49.5 million settlement with Blackbaud. Multiple states had brought a suit against the software company for its deficient data security practices and response to a 2020 ransomware attack that exposed the personal information of millions of people across the country. Why is this Important?
The North Carolina Department of Justice said that it received 313 security breach notices related to the Blackbaud ransomware attack, which they say impacted 78,697 North Carolinians. Under the settlement, Blackbaud will also overhaul its data security and breach notification practices. North Carolina will receive $1.2 million which will go toward protecting consumers.[1]
“Blackbaud failed to protect the valuable personal data it had for millions of people and then failed to let people know their information had been stolen,” said the NC Attorney General. “Their actions led to hundreds more data breaches in North Carolina. When we trust companies with our data, they need to responsibly safeguard it.”
Blackbaud’s customers are non-profit organizations that use its software to connect with donors and manage data about their constituents, including contact and demographic information, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial information, employment and wealth information, donation history, and protected health information.
This type of highly sensitive information was exposed during the 2020 data breach, which impacted more than 13,000 Blackbaud customers and their respective consumer constituents. Again, why is this Important? It puts businesses on notice that they need to be much more vigilant in their cyber security. No one’s security posture is 100%, but getting network protection, proper training and a proactive approach to cyber security – like using RedXray – will go a long way in protecting your valuable data.
This article is presented at no charge for educational and informational purposes only.
Red Sky Alliance is a Cyber Threat Analysis and Intelligence Service organization and has reported extensively on AI technology. For questions, comments or assistance, please contact the office directly at 1-844-492-7225, or feedback@redskyalliance.com
Weekly Cyber Intelligence Briefings:
- Reporting: https://www.redskyalliance.org/
- Website: https://www.redskyalliance.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/64265941
Weekly Cyber Intelligence Briefings:
REDSHORTS - Weekly Cyber Intelligence Briefings
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5993554863383553632
[1] https://www.witn.com/2023/10/05/nc-attorney-general-announces-495-million-multistate-settlement-with-blackbaud/
Comments