Globe Life Extortion Breach: What Small Businesses Should Take Away

Globe Life, a life and health insurer, reported that it was being extorted by an attacker who had stolen customer data from a subsidiary, American Income Life. The company said the data included personal information such as names, addresses and in some cases Social Security numbers, plus health and policy details, and that about 5,000 people had been identified so far with the number possibly higher. It said financial details such as card or bank numbers were not accessed. The investigation was ongoing when it was reported.

Why extortion changes the problem

In this type of incident the attacker threatens to publish or sell stolen data. That means backups alone do not solve it, because the data has already left the building. Prevention and early detection become even more important.

What organizations can do

• Limit the data you hold and delete what you no longer need.
• Restrict access so staff and systems only reach what their role requires.
• Use MFA and monitoring to make theft harder and quicker to spot.
• Plan communications for customers and regulators in advance.

If your information is in a breach

Review credit reports and account statements, change passwords for related accounts, and be careful with unexpected calls or emails that mention the incident.

Related reading

• managed cybersecurity for Portland businesses
• How managed IT helps reduce data breach risk
• Ransomware, double extortion and resilience

Talk to a local team

PDX Information Technology Services provides managed IT, cybersecurity and compliance support for small businesses in Portland, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Hillsboro and Vancouver, WA. Plans start at $100 per user per month (Gold) and $180 per user per month (Platinum). Call 971-331-4871 or book a free assessment.