On November 2nd, a notification sent to clients disclosed that The Hilb Group Operating Company, LLC (Hilb) had detected ‘suspicious activity’ in multiple employee email accounts due to a phishing attack.
Moreover, phishing is a social engineering method used to steal sensitive user data. It involves impostors mimicking trusted figures or entities and manipulating urgency to prompt immediate action, often without thorough consideration. Additionally, spearphishing, a more personalized form, includes deceitful messages imitating close contacts like friends, family, or business associates.
The cybersecurity breach at Hilb occurred within a specific timeframe, between December 1st, 2022, and January 12th, 2023, as outlined in the notification. Subsequently, the investigation, conducted by the company and external cybersecurity experts, revealed the exposure of certain clients’ private data, such as names and Social Security numbers.
As per The Office of the Maine Attorney General, financial details like financial account numbers, credit/debit card information, security codes, access codes, passwords, or PINs were also compromised.
Furthermore, a total of 81,539 individuals were affected by this breach. Consequently, in response, the company is providing those affected with 12 months of credit monitoring services.
Notably, Hilb, established in 2009, operates as an independent insurance broker, offering services in property, casualty, employee benefits, and retirement.
This revised version incorporates various transition words to improve the flow and coherence of the text.
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