Posted On November 1, 2022 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
On October 17, 2022, MODE Global, LLC (“MODE Transport”) filed notice of a data breach with the Attorney General of Maine and other state attorney general offices after the company discovered that an unauthorized party had gained access to its computer system. Based on the company’s official filing, the incident resulted in an unauthorized party gaining access to consumers’ names, addresses, Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. After confirming that consumer data was leaked, MODE Transport began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the recent data security incident. Recent estimates suggest that 11,347 people were affected by the MODE Global data breach.
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 MODE Transport 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 MODE Global, LLC.
The available information regarding the MODE Global breach comes from the company’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine. According to this source, on May 4, 2022, the company detected unusual activity within its computer network. In response, MODE Transport worked to secure its systems and then launched an internal investigation with the assistance of third-party data security specialists.
The company’s investigation confirmed that an unauthorized party had gained access to its computer system on April 18, 2022, and that the period of unauthorized access lasted until May 7, 2022, shortly after the company discovered the intrusion. Not only that, but the investigation also revealed that the unauthorized party actually accessed and removed certain files containing sensitive consumer information.
Upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was made available to an unauthorized party, MODE Global began to review the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which consumers were impacted. The company completed this review on September 13, 2022. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, address, Social Security number and driver’s license number.
On October 17, 2022, MODE Global sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident.
Founded in 1989, MODE Global, LLC is a non-asset based transportation and logistics company based in Dallas, Texas. The company specializes in intermodal, truckload, LTL, ocean, air and parcel shipping and maintains over 100 offices across the United States. MODE Global employs more than 500 people and generates approximately $2 billion in annual revenue.
As a general rule, all organizations have a legal duty to protect sensitive consumer information in their possession. Thus, under United States data breach laws, companies that leak consumer data as a result of a preventable data breach may be liable for any financial losses a consumer experiences as a result of a data breach.
However, just because a business is hacked and information in its possession ends up in the hands of a potential criminal doesn’t necessarily mean that the company is on the hook for victims’ losses. Ultimately, data breach lawsuits come down to whether the company that leaked the information was negligent in its actions leading up to the breach.
While every state’s laws vary, the basic framework for a negligence analysis requires a data breach victim to prove the following:
When it comes to storing consumer data, there are many ways that a company might be negligent. However, most data breaches involving a company’s negligence are the result of a company failing to employ an adequate data security system or failing to train employees on how to properly care for consumer data. For example, given the risks of email phishing attacks, all organizations should train employees to recognize fraudulent emails that appear to be legitimate. Similarly, organizations should frequently review their data security systems to ensure they are up-to-date and effectively protect against the most common types of cyberattacks.
Companies that fail to take their data security obligations seriously increase the chances of a data breach. Data breach victims who are interested in learning more about their rights and whether they may be able to bring a data breach class action lawsuit should reach out to a data breach attorney for assistance.
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 MODE Transport 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.
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