In October 2023, the Village of Hoffman Estates in Illinois identified suspicious activity that led to a network outage. This prompted an immediate response to secure the environment, an investigation into the scope of the breach, and notification of law enforcement. The investigation revealed unauthorized access to files and folders between October 16 and October 20, 2023.
Following the breach, the Village reviewed the involved files to assess the impact on sensitive information. The affected data varied by individual but included names, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, financial account details, medical and health information, passport numbers, and Social Security numbers. Although there was no evidence of misuse, the Village took steps to inform those impacted.
The Village of Hoffman Estates began notifying affected individuals and provided them with complimentary credit monitoring services. It also reviewed and enhanced its security policies to prevent future incidents. To support individuals, the Village set up a dedicated assistance line for inquiries and encouraged vigilance against identity theft and fraud.
Residents are advised to monitor their credit reports and account statements for suspicious activity. They are entitled to free annual credit reports from the major bureaus and can place fraud alerts or credit freezes on their reports to protect against identity theft. The Village’s efforts reflect its commitment to safeguarding privacy and ensuring that affected individuals have access to necessary resources.
Reference:
