While the digital forensic examination into the cyber-intrusion is ongoing, at this time it has been determined that the following categories of personal protected data may have been accessed by the criminal actors:
- Driver’s License numbers of individuals issued moving violations within the Suffolk County Police District between 2013 and September 8, 2022;
- Identification numbers (such as a driver’s license or passport) presented at Suffolk County’s TPVA in Hauppauge when paying by credit card for Suffolk County-issued tickets, including parking tickets.
Approximately, 470,000 discrete moving violations were issued during the time period identified above. It is important to note that the potential exposure of personal protected information for the above-mentioned categories appears to be limited to Driver’s License numbers only. Additionally, TPVA credit card payments are processed by a third party so credit card numbers are not at risk and parking tickets, red light camera tickets, and school bus camera violations do not contain personal protected information.
Any individual who meets the criteria above is eligible for the complimentary identity theft protection. In addition to providing this information to local and national media outlets, it will also be shared on social media and posted on the homepage of the County’s website, www.suffolkcountyny.gov.
“The protection of personal, sensitive information is a top priority for the County. The identity protection services the County is offering through Kroll will help provide peace of mind to individuals who may have had specific pieces of their personal information exposed,” said County Executive Steve Bellone.
The announcement today follows previous information provided to the public regarding the data breach resulting from the cyber-attack. On September 20th, the County formally notified the New York State Attorney General’s office about a data breach in Suffolk County. In addition, on September 21st, the County posted consumer identity protection information and resources on the County landing page, including preventive measures individuals can take to help protect themselves from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft.
If the ongoing digital forensic examination discovers any other potentially breached information, the County will share that information publicly and/or alert those individuals directly.
Below is a summary of the services Suffolk County will offer, free of charge, to potentially impacted individuals. Restrictions do apply and individuals should read the documentation carefully.
Triple Bureau Credit Monitoring – Triple bureau credit monitoring will be provided to impacted individuals who choose to subscribe. The credit data comes from the national credit bureaus Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. If subscribers choose online service, credit activity will be reported promptly to a registered email address via an alert. If subscribers choose offline service, notifications will be sent via U.S. Postal Service. This process does not affect an individual’s credit score, nor does it appear as a hard credit inquiry on his or her credit report when the credit report is accessed by a third party.
Identity Theft Restoration Services – In instances of suspected identity theft, Kroll will recommend to the subscribing member that a case be opened for these services. Kroll’s fraud specialists can perform the bulk of the restoration work required to attempt to restore the individual’s identity to pre-theft status.
Identity Fraud Loss Reimbursement – This coverage, made available through a third-party provider (but still at no cost to the impacted individuals) can reimburse for certain eligible losses, including expenses and covered legal costs resulting from a subscribing member’s stolen identity event, fraud, theft, forgery, or misuse of that person’s data. Members must activate their monitoring services during the defined activation period to be eligible for insurance coverage and claim filing. The policy provides coverage for up to $1,000,000, with no deductible charged to the subscribing member and includes up to $10,000 reimbursement of stolen funds. All claims are subject to the terms, limits and/or exclusions of the policy.
Potential covered expenses include:
- Application refiling fees;
- Costs incurred to rectify or amend records;
- Costs to contest accuracy of a credit report after identity fraud;
- Loss of income due to time taken to rectify records due to identity fraud;
- Childcare and elderly care costs incurred due to time taken to rectify identity fraud;
- Fraudulent withdrawals ($10,000 limit); and
- Covered Legal Costs (restrictions apply)
Coverage is subject to the conditions and exclusions in the policy. To be eligible for reimbursement, discovery of the covered loss by the subscribing member must occur during the term of the policy and the receipt of services. The policy covers residents of the United States, including Puerto Rico.
To receive these protections, individuals must be prepared to affirm that they fit into one of the above impacted categories and be prepared to provide proof if contacted by the County.
To learn more about eligibility and to activate the services, individuals can visit the Kroll Website at www.suffolkcounty.kroll.com. The site will also be accessible via the home page of the County’s website at www.suffolkcountyny.gov. Complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection must be activated by February 17, 2023.
Individuals can also contact Suffolk 311 if they have any questions. Within Suffolk County dial 311, outside of Suffolk County call 631-853-6311.
