Fidelity, one of the largest financial services and asset management companies globally, experienced a significant data breach between August 17 and August 19, affecting over 77,000 customers.
The breach involved an unauthorized party accessing sensitive personal information through two newly established customer accounts. However, Fidelity quickly responded by cutting off access to the intruder and informing the affected customers via a letter. This incident represents a small subset of their extensive customer base, comprising just 0.15% of more than 50 million clients.
The breach was not a result of a traditional hack or cyberattack but stemmed from the misuse of customer accounts. Fidelity reassured clients that their accounts remained uncompromised. Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Fidelity is offering two years of credit monitoring services to those impacted. Additionally, the company has reported the breach to the Office of the Maine Attorney General and is implementing measures to prevent future occurrences.
“Between August 17 and August 19, a third party accessed and obtained certain information without authorization using two customer accounts that they had recently established,” – Fidelity
Despite the breach affecting only a small portion of its clientele, Fidelity remains committed to transparency and customer security. The company has emphasized that it will take proactive steps to enhance its security protocols and safeguard against similar incidents in the future. In recent times, several other companies have also reported data breaches, suggesting a wave of unauthorized data access incidents across various sectors.
Fidelity’s swift action in addressing the breach reflects its dedication to maintaining trust with its customers. By notifying those impacted promptly and offering additional security measures, the company aims to mitigate potential risks associated with the compromised information.
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