Millions of South Carolina residents at risk of identity theft
Up to 657,000 Businesses Hit in South Carolina Hack
Summary: As the investigation into the South Carolina breach continues, security firm Mandiant has found that up to 657,000 businesses may have been compromised.
The security company investigating the South Carolina breach has found new evidence that up to 657,000 businesses are potentially at risk of attack.
Last week, it was revealed that a server holding taxpayer and credit card information belonging to South Carolina residents was breached by an international hacker, exposing 387,000 credit cards and 3.6 million social security numbers. The company hired by the US Secret Service to investigate the breach, Mandiant, has now found that up to 657,000 businesses may also have been compromised.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley confirmed that businesses were affected during a press conference this week, but stated that from the batch of information currently available, 657,000 represented the maximum number and that due to duplicates of information, the number of businesses effected could be lower.
Haley and the state Department of Revenue is now the subject of a class action lawsuit headed up by former Richland County Senator John Hawkings, who operates Hawkings Law Firm. Hawkings described the breach as a Category 5 “cyber hurricane”, and based the lawsuit on Haley and the department being negligent to prevent the breach and failing to notify the public of it in a timely manner.
