Starkville Utilities, a Mississippi-based electricity and water provider that also services Mississippi State University, has revealed a data breach that may have exposed sensitive information belonging to over 11,000 individuals.
The breach, which was first detected in late October last year, led the company to disconnect its network in an attempt to contain the intrusion.
Despite these efforts, an investigation later found that attackers may have accessed personal data, including full names and Social Security numbers. Details were submitted to the Maine Attorney General’s Office, confirming the scale of the breach and the nature of the data involved.
While no reports of identity theft have emerged since the incident, Starkville Utilities has chosen to offer twelve months of free identity protection services to those potentially affected. The company maintains that it is taking additional steps to improve its cybersecurity defences.
Stolen data such as Social Security numbers often ends up on underground marketplaces instead of staying idle, where it can be used for identity fraud and other malicious activities.
The incident serves as yet another reminder of the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals targeting critical infrastructure and user data.
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