Frontier Communications Class Actions: Did Data Breach Expose Your Personal Info?

A company that sells high speed and fiber internet has been hit with three class action lawsuits after it was targeted by a criminal ransomware group that stole the private information of over 750,000 of its customers. 

Frontier Communications notified the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the cyberattack on April 14, and said it immediately shut down its systems, launched an investigation and took action to contain the incident. 

Frontier then contacted about 751,895 customers to notify them that their personal information was stolen in the attack, Inside Towers reports. Stolen data reportedly included names, email addresses, SSNs, credit scores, dates of birth and phone numbers.

Ransomware Attack Cripples Frontier Communications, Exposing Customer Data

RansomHub threatened to publish the stolen data if Frontier did not pay it a ransom within nine days. 

It posted screenshots online of compromised data after the attack, with the message: “We gave Frontier 2 months to contact us, but they don’t care about clients’ data. Now, anyone who wants to buy this data can contact our blog support; we only sell it once.” 

Frontier said it had “engaged cybersecurity experts and have notified law enforcement authorities,” in response to the attack.

It offered its customers a year of complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft resolution services. It also advised affected individuals to “remain vigilant” in identifying “suspicious activity” on accounts.

Frontier Faces Class Action Lawsuits Over Alleged Negligence

But, dissatisfaction simmers among Frontier customers who blame the company's lax data security for a cyber attack that compromised their personal information. Three class-action lawsuits have been filed against the telecommunications giant in the Northern District of Texas, accusing Frontier of negligence in maintaining and safeguarding its systems and data.

The plaintiffs, now vulnerable to potential financial crime and identity theft, assert that Frontier should have anticipated the risk of cyber attacks. One set of plaintiffs allege that “Frontier knew or should have known that its electronic records would be targeted by cybercriminals,” Womble Bond Dickson reports.

Meanwhile, Christie's, the renowned auction house, faces a similar crisis as nearly half a million customers have become victims of a substantial data breach. Hackers gained access to the company's database, exposing sensitive information such as full names, genders, and passport numbers. An affected customer has filed a class action lawsuit against Christie's, accusing them of failing to protect this confidential data, thereby violating the trust and security of those who entrusted the company with their information.

For consumers, it's a reality check: your personal information isn't safe, even in the hands of companies you trust.