Personal Information Exposed
IT provider Cognizant informed its employees about a Maze ransomware attack on May 1st. Personal information, including names and company credit card numbers, were part of the compromised data. However, some employees were also exposed to additional data exposure.
“The small number of associates who have had other kinds of personal information exposed will be notified directly by June 24, 2020, and will also receive complimentary identity theft protection,” the company reportedly said.
Cognizant provides a multitude of IT services, including technology, operation services, digital, and consulting. They’re based out of New Jersey. Cognizant is a publicly traded Fortune-500 company.
News of a ransomware attack on an IT corporation is unsettling. IT leaders are the ones leading the way in the fight against ransomware. Likewise, we look to companies like Cognizant to deploy the most sophisticated defenses against ransomware.
Cognizant is providing monitoring and restoration services to all employees, whether affected or not. They are also working with the FBI on investigation of the attack. This, however, won’t stop them from losing an estimated $50-$70 million in revenue this quarter.
Attacks like this only solidify the need for proactive and up-to-date security plans. As the criminals become more sophisticated, it’s our responsibility to counterbalance with our own sophisticated measures.
If you haven’t done so in awhile, change your passwords. Also consider employing two-factor authentication. Keeping data safe is all our responsibility.
Stay safe out there.
