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Peterson Holding Company Data Breach

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm on August 5, 2024 in Data Breach

NOTICE: If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH letter from Peterson Holding Company, contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 to discuss your legal options, or submit a confidential Case Evaluation form here.

blue lights and padlockOn or about August 1, 2024, Peterson Holding Company (“Peterson”) sent a Notice of Data Breach Letter (“Breach Letter”) via mail to victims of the Peterson data breach informing them that their personal information and Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”), and Protected Health Information (“PHI”) was obtained by an unauthorized actor who accessed Peterson’s network (“data breach”) between June 27, 2023, and June 28, 2023.

After Peterson became aware of the potential unauthorized access to its network, it launched an investigation. The investigation concluded on May 8, 2024, and determined that an unauthorized user had potentially accessed and removed files from Peterson’s network. As a result of the data breach, hackers obtained from victims their first and last names, dates of birth, social security numbers, medical information, and other PII.

Founded in 1936, Peterson operates eight companies that sell machinery, vehicles, and technology used in construction to its customers. Headquartered in San Leandro, CA, Peterson employs more than 3,000 individuals has annual revenue of around $720 million.

Specific numbers are not yet known, but it is likely thousands of people in California and possibly throughout the United States were exposed. If you received a Breach Letter from Peterson, then you were impacted by the data breach.

Peterson has offered victims of the data breach one year of free credit monitoring and identity protection services through CyEx as a precaution.

WHAT INFORMATION IS INVOLVED?

According to Peterson, the following information was exposed:

  • First and Last Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Social Security Number
  • Driver’s License Number
  • US Military or Other Federally Issued ID Number
  • Passport Number
  • Medical Information
  • Financial Account Information

This information is called your Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”). It tells others about you and is considered part of your identity. Businesses are required to secure this information or risk facing statutory penalties, among other legal penalties. Stolen PII can be used by identity thieves to engage in fraudulent activity using your identity.

Personal medical information (a specific type of PII) is referred to as Protected Health Information (“PHI”). It is protected under both state and federal law. Health care providers and other businesses who handle PHI are required to protect that information. Like stolen PII, stolen PHI can be used by identity thieves to engage in fraudulent activity using your identity. Quite often, PII and PHI are used in conjunction by hackers.

The best way to protect yourself after a data breach is to sign up for credit and identity protection services as soon as possible.

NOTICE: If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH letter from Peterson Holding Company, contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 to discuss your legal options, or submit a confidential Case Evaluation form here.