Posted On October 13, 2022 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
On October 7, 2022, Lake Nona Estates Management filed notice of a data breach with the Vermont Attorney General after the company confirmed that an unauthorized party had gained access to portions of its network that contained confidential consumer information. However, because Lake Nona Estates has not yet posted notice of the breach on its website and has not otherwise clarified what data was leaked, it remains to be seen which data types were compromised as a result of the incident. However, based on state data breach reporting requirements, it would appear that the incident involved affected parties’ names and one or more of the following: Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account information, or protected health information. After confirming that consumer data was leaked, Lake Nona Estates began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach notification, it is essential you understand what is at risk. The data breach lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. are actively investigating the Lake Nona Estates data breach on behalf of people whose information was exposed. As a part of this investigation, we are providing free consultations to anyone affected by the breach who is interested in learning more about the risks of identity theft, what they can do to protect themselves, and what their legal options may be to obtain compensation from Lake Nona Estates Management.
The available information regarding the Lake Nona Estates Management breach comes from the company’s filing with the Office of the Vermont Attorney general. According to this source, on about April 6, 2022, Lake Nona Estates detected unusual activity within its computer network. In response, the company revoked all access to outside users and began working with a third-party data security firm to investigate the incident as well as what, if any, consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party.
Ultimately, the Lake Nona Estates Management investigation confirmed that an unauthorized party had gained access to the company’s IT network. It was also determined that the unauthorized party may have removed some of the sensitive consumer information within the accessible files.
Upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was made available to an unauthorized party, Lake Nona Estates Management began to review the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which consumers were impacted. The company completed this process in August 2022; however, it has not publicly released a list of the data types that were subject to unauthorized access. That said, Vermont data breach reporting guidelines only require a company to file notice of a data breach if it involves consumers’ names and one or more of the following:
On October 7, 2022, Lake Nona Estates Management sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident.
Lake Nona is a privately-owned development in Orlando, Florida. Lake Nona is adjacent to the Orlando Airport and is home to Lake Nona Golf & Country Club. The area was planned and developed by Lake Nona Property Holdings, which is owned by Tavistock Group.
After a cybersecurity incident leads to a data breach, hackers who successfully steal consumer information can use it to commit a variety of crimes, such as identity theft and other frauds. When hackers consider which companies to target, they will often focus on those that are most likely to possess the most valuable types of information. Social Security numbers are perhaps the most commonly targeted data type because if a hacker is able to obtain your name and Social Security, they often have enough data to steal your identity.
Identity fraud occurs when another person uses your personal information and opens up a new line of credit, such as a loan or credit card, using your information. Once the criminal obtains the loan, they then spend money in your name until they reach the credit limit. At this point, they move on to the next victim, leaving you to foot the bill.
Aside from the obvious risk of being on the hook for fraudulent charges, there are other risks involved with being a data breach victim. For example, falling victim to identity theft after a data breach can impact your credit score. If a cybercriminal obtains your information through a data leak and they successfully steal your identity, they typically spend as much money as they can as quickly as they can. By the time you learn of the identity fraud, the credit line is often maxed out. Not only does using a high percentage of your credit negatively impact your credit score, but unless you make payments on the account or get the company to reverse the charges, it can further damage your credit.
Identity theft can even impact your job. First, repairing your credit after being the target of identity theft consumes an average of 200 hours. If you work full-time, you may need to request time off to address the situation. Additionally, in cases of criminal identity theft—where a person provides your name to police when they are arrested—victims actually end up with a criminal record. This can make it much more difficult to secure employment, as employers regularly conduct background checks (and even credit checks).
Applying for loans, credit cards, and even unemployment benefits are all common goals of the hackers who carry out these cyberattacks. It is important to realize that hackers spend a lot of time planning their crimes, and they wouldn’t go through all this trouble if there wasn’t something in it for them. For most hackers and cybercriminals, the goal is to steal personal data, which can later be used for their personal benefit or sold on the dark web.
At Console & Associates, P.C., our consumer privacy lawyers monitor all security and data breaches to help affected consumers pursue their legal remedies. We offer free consultations to victims of data breaches and can explain your rights in clear, understandable terms so you can make an informed decision about how to proceed with your case. If you’ve been affected by the Lake Nona Estates data breach or any other data security incident, Console & Associates, P.C., will investigate your case at no charge and offer you thorough advice about how to most effectively proceed with your case. If you decide to bring a case, we only get paid if you do. If your claim is successful, any legal fees are either paid by the defendant or come out of the funds recovered from the defendant. If your claim doesn’t result in a recovery, you will pay nothing.
To schedule your free consultation, just call (866) 778-5500 today or fill out our secure contact form.
Click here to view a copy of the data breach letter sent by Lake Nona Estates Management.
