Houser LLP Data Breach Investigation | California Privacy Lawyer
The Lyon Firm is investigating a significant data breach impacting hundreds of thousands of California residents. Houser LLP, a California-based law firm, said an inside network data breach occurred in May 2023 and possibly exposed the personal data of over 325,000 individuals.
The data allegedly includes names, Social Security number, driver’s license number, individual tax identification number, financial account information, and medical information.
What Happened at Houser LLP?
Houser, a firm that specializes in serving high-profile financial institutions, says some sensitive files were “copied and taken” from their network several months ago. The breach investigation was apparently not completed until January 18, 2024, according to a regulatory filing made public by the attorney general of Maine.
It is unclear why it took over 8 months to alert victims of the incident. In June 2023, “the unauthorized actor informed Houser that they deleted copies of any stolen data and would not distribute any stolen files,” yet individuals were not notified until 2024. When a data theft event happens, it is critical to take certain measures to mitigate the damage, but individuals cannot be proactive if they are unaware of a data security incident.
The company has concluded that an unidentified third party had “unauthorized access” to the systems between May 7 and May 9. Houser LLP disclosed the data breach involves sensitive confidential information, including:
- Name
- Social Security Number
- Tax Identification Number
- Driver’s License Number
- Medical Information
- Financial Account Information
More About Houser LLP
Houser has offices nationwide and offers services that include litigation management, commercial and real estate law, class action defenses and regulatory compliance. In a company statement addressed to the affected parties, Houser LLP provided tips on how to protect themselves from potential fraud and identity theft, and urged victims to remain vigilant for any signs of unusual activity on their accounts.
The data breach at Houser is one of many that could impact invididuals in California and nationwide. There are numerous cyber threats to companies, the same companies that collect and store our sensitive data. We trust that these entities that store our personal information will protect it with reasonably secure networks, but that is not always the case.
What is At Risk Following a Data Breach?
Data leaks have become so common that it is easy for people to ignore the situation and go about their busy day. But there is a lot at risk, and we encourage data breach victims to consider looking forward and to protect themselves with certain actions.
First, confirm that you were in fact impacted by a data security event by contacting the company directly. They may not want to give you all the details about the incident, but you have a right to know what happened. You have a right to know what information was stolen, and the company should be willing to offer you some identity theft protection in the mean time. You should be monitoring your financial accounts, and make sure you change all login information.
At the end of the day, you may want to contact an attorney to discuss possible legal action, which can compensate you for any damages and financial losses.
Why Hire The Lyon Firm?
We are currently litigating several high-profile data privacy cases on behalf of plaintiffs across the country. We take pride in representing individuals and families who have been severely impacted by a privacy violation through no fault of their own. We all trust companies to protect the data they collect and store, and they have a legal duty to make sure our personal information is secure.
When companies fail to build and maintain a solid IT security system, and a data breach results, they may be held accountable. We have settled numerous data breach lawsuits with large corporate defendants, and we are currently taking on new cases.
When a data breach incident occurs, a third-party investigation may be necessary to determine whether or not a company was negligent in handling your personal data. Our data breach lawyers have the resources, the experience and the dedication to take on difficult consumer privacy cases. Contact our legal team to learn more about the Houser data breach and to discuss what it means to file a class action data breach lawsuit.