On or about December 31, 2022, HACLA discovered encrypted files on its servers and confirmed it had been the victim of a ransomware attack. The forensic investigation revealed that unauthorized access occurred between January 15, 2022 and December 31, 2022. The LockBit ransomware group claimed responsibility for the breach and later leaked stolen data on the dark web after ransom negotiations failed. HACLA launched an investigation, notified law enforcement, and began mailing notices to affected individuals.
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) is a public agency that provides affordable housing to over 19,000 low-income, homeless, disabled, and senior residents in the city.
Approximately 15 terabytes of sensitive information were exposed during the breach. If you received a Data Breach notification letter from HACLA, it confirms that your information was potentially impacted.
Compromised information may include:
Name
Social Security Number
Date of Birth
Passport Number
Driver’s License or State Identification Number
Tax Identification Number
Military Identification Number
Government-Issued Identification Number
Credit/Debit Card Number
Financial Account Number
Health Insurance Information
Medical Information
Your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) includes details that can be used to identify you. It plays a key role in defining your identity. Organizations are legally obligated to safeguard this data, and failure to do so can result in statutory fines and other legal consequences. If PII is stolen, it may be exploited by criminals to commit identity fraud.
A specific category of PII is Protected Health Information (PHI), which pertains to personal medical data. PHI is safeguarded under both federal and state regulations. Entities such as healthcare providers and businesses that manage PHI must ensure its security. Just like PII, compromised PHI can be misused by identity thieves, and it’s common for cybercriminals to use both types of information together.
If your data has been exposed in a breach, one of the most effective steps you can take is to enroll in credit and identity monitoring services promptly.
If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH letter from HACLA, your personal and financial information may be at risk. This type of data can be exploited by identity thieves to commit fraud and other crimes.
Whether you’ve been injured on the job, subjected to mistreatment in the workplace, or affected by a privacy breach, our expert attorneys are here to help.
