Major Data Breach Exposes Millions, Including Massachusetts Residents

BOSTON, Mass. — A significant cyber incident at DISA Global Solutions has put the personal information of over 3.3 million individuals at risk, affecting hundreds of thousands of residents in Massachusetts. The company announced this breach on April 22, 2024, revealing that unauthorized access to their network had occurred between February 9 and April 22, 2024.

According to DISA, more than 360,000 Massachusetts residents are among the compromised individuals, with sensitive data such as social security numbers, financial account information, and government-issued identification documents stolen in the breach.

“People read about these breaches affecting hundreds of thousands, millions of people, and often it’s overwhelming,” said Ian Bednowitz, general manager at LifeLock. “And then they just shut down and say, ‘Well, there’s nothing I can do about it anyway.’ The reality is that there is a lot that you can do to protect yourself from these breaches so that you can have peace of mind.”

In response to the breach, DISA Global Solutions has started sending notification letters to individuals impacted. Nationwide, around 2 million people in Massachusetts have had their data compromised in nearly 1,900 incidents disclosed to the state, increasing anxiety over identity theft.

Bednowitz emphasized the importance of taking immediate protective measures. “The most important thing is to freeze your credit,” he explained. “That is the primary way that identity thieves will target their victims.” He also suggested that consumers regularly check bank and credit card statements for unusual activities and utilize their free weekly credit reports from the three major credit bureaus.

Furthermore, he advised users to delete accounts they no longer use, stating that having unnecessary personal information online increases vulnerability to scams and identity theft. For families, a Protected Consumer Freeze can help shield children’s credit without jeopardizing their future credit scores.

Another precaution is to place a fraud alert on credit files, which will notify creditors to check with the individual before opening new accounts or altering existing ones. DISA Global Solutions is offering affected individuals access to credit monitoring and identity restoration services through Experian.