On September 3, 2024, Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC filed a data breach notice with the Attorney General of Massachusetts, disclosing that unauthorized access had been made to confidential consumer information under the company’s care. The breach notification indicated that sensitive data had been compromised, and the company began notifying affected individuals through data breach letters. While the company did not provide specific details regarding the nature of the breach, it has confirmed that the incident was related to confidential information that had been entrusted to Cherry Bekaert.
The breach likely stemmed from a cyberattack targeting one of the company’s third-party vendors, though this has not been definitively confirmed. The company’s investigation is ongoing, and more information may be revealed in the future as they work to fully understand the scope of the breach. Cherry Bekaert has yet to release a public notice describing the specific events leading up to the incident, but the company’s filing with the Massachusetts Attorney General offers limited insight into the cause of the unauthorized access.
Once the breach was discovered, Cherry Bekaert immediately launched an investigation to determine what information had been exposed and which individuals were affected. The company sent out personalized breach notification letters, providing impacted individuals with specific details about what personal information was compromised. While the company has not disclosed which types of data were leaked in the publicly available notice, those who received the breach letters were informed about the data that had been exposed, including whether or not their personal or financial details were involved.
Founded in 1947, Cherry Bekaert is a certified public accounting firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, offering traditional accounting and financial management services to clients across the United States. With over 2,500 employees, the company generates an estimated $585 million annually and operates numerous offices across the country. The company is continuing to monitor the situation and has promised to implement measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future while ensuring that affected clients are informed and supported throughout the process.
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