OAN’s James Meyers
10:53 AM – Friday, November 10, 2023
Nearly the entire population of Maine reportedly fell victim to a cyberattack, exposing residents’ Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and other confidential information.
Maine officials announced on Thursday that 1.3 million people had their data stolen by a “Russia-linked ransomware hacker group,” which means that hackers secured their data and required ransom money to unlock it.
According to the state government, the group gained access to residents’ files belonging to certain state agencies between May 28th and May 29th, according to the statement.
Additionally, the information stolen in the hacker attack varied based on the person, but possibly stolen information included “full name, Social Security number, date of birth, driver’s license/state identification number, and taxpayer identification number.”
Over half of the stolen data was from Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services, while a third of the stolen data was taken from the state’s Department of Education, as well as Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Corrections.
The Pine Tree State is now offering those who have been affected two years of complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection.
Currently, over 1.3 million people reside in the state of Maine.
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