Personal info of customers compromised? Insurer Aflac probes data breach incident by ‘sophisticated cybercrime group’

Aflac revealed on Friday that it had experienced a cybersecurity breach by a “sophisticated cybercrime group,” in which personal information of its customers may have been compromised, making it the latest insurer to fall victim to a cyberattack. 

The health and life insurance company said the breach, detected on June 12, was carried out by a “sophisticated cybercrime group,” though it did not disclose the group’s identity, reported Reuters.

Health insurers have been facing increased cybersecurity risks recently with UnitedHealth’s breach being the most notable example impacting 100 million people last year.

How many people affected in Aflac cybersecurity breach?

While Aflac said it was unable to determine the total number of affected individuals, it noted that claims information, health information, Social Security numbers and other personal information might have been compromised.

The insurer, however, said it was able to stop the intrusion within hours and has reached out to third-party cybersecurity experts to investigate into the incident.

“We promptly initiated our cyber incident response protocols and stopped the intrusion within hours,” CBS News reported, citing Aflac’s statement.

(This is a developing story. Keep checking for more updates)