Steel River Systems steelriver.com Steel River Systems data breach: what happened and what to do
Steel River Systems said an unauthorized party accessed its network between May 25 and July 16, 2022. Notices say Social Security numbers, driver's license information and financial account information were involved. Letters went out on December 22, 2022.
View all 13,177 breaches- Breach date
- 25 May 2022
- Made public
- 22 Dec 2022
- Data exposed
- Social security numbers, Driver's licenses, Financial account information
- Last updated
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
Steel River Systems notified people and state regulators of a network breach in December 2022. The Maine filing was made on behalf of one of its clients, so some of the people affected had never dealt with Steel River directly.
What happened
Steel River's notice says it became aware of suspicious activity on its network on or about July 16, 2022. A forensic investigation then found unauthorized access to, or acquisition of, files between May 25 and July 16, 2022. Written notice went to affected people on December 22, 2022.
Sources checked: oag.ca.gov, atg.wa.gov, maine.gov
Last verified against the official page:
What was exposed
The notice lists Social Security numbers, driver's license information and financial account information. The filings to Maine and Washington count residents of those states only. They are not the national total, so the number of people affected is larger than any single state's figure.
The company's response
Steel River sent written notice to affected people and filed with state regulators. A class action over the breach was filed in Illinois and later reached a settlement without any admission of wrongdoing, according to a class action news site.
What it means for you
Social Security and driver's license numbers together are enough to attempt new credit, benefits fraud or account takeovers. If you got a letter, enroll in the offered protection and freeze your credit.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Freeze your credit at all three bureaus
A freeze stops new credit being opened in your name and costs nothing. Place it with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion; the FTC explains how at consumer.ftc.gov. Lift it temporarily when you apply for credit yourself.
- 2
Read the notice letter and use the protection it offers
If a letter arrived, it lists what was exposed and often includes free credit monitoring or identity restoration with an enrollment deadline. Sign up before that date passes.
- 3
Watch your statements and credit reports
Check bank and card statements for charges you don't recognize, and pull your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. If something is wrong, report it at IdentityTheft.gov and follow the recovery plan it gives you.
- 4
Expect phishing that mentions the breach
Scammers use news of a breach to sound legitimate. Don't click links or call numbers in unexpected texts or emails about it. Contact the company through the phone number or site on your own card or statement.
- 5
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
Serus monitors breach databases and the dark web and alerts you when your details appear, with steps for each case. A free scan shows where you stand today.
Official filings
- Washington Attorney General , filed 22 Dec 2022 : 1,368 people
Timeline
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The breach happened
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The company made it public
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Reported to the Washington Attorney General
Frequently asked
Was I affected by this breach?
Check the notice letter you received. Organizations usually mail one to each person whose data was involved. If you have no letter and think your data was held, contact Steel River Systems using the details on its own website.
Should I freeze my credit?
If your Social Security number or similar ID details were exposed, the FTC says a credit freeze is a free way to block new accounts being opened in your name. Place it with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
What should I do if I get a message about the breach?
Treat it with care. Criminals send fake breach alerts. Go to the company's own site or the number on your statements instead of using a link or number in the message.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
