American Meteorological Society

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) suffered an external system breach (hacking) discovered on August 9, 2023, compromising the personal data of 557 individuals, including 5 Maine residents. The exposed information included names and Social Security numbers (SSNs), which are highly sensitive identifiers often targeted for identity theft and financial fraud. AMS responded by sending notification letters on December 14, 2023, offering 12 months of identity theft protection services to affected individuals. The delay between discovery and notification (over four months) may have increased risks for victims, as stolen SSNs can be exploited for fraudulent activities like loan applications, tax fraud, or unauthorized account openings. The breach did not involve ransomware or a large-scale operational disruption but focused on unauthorized access to personally identifiable information (PII). Given the nature of the stolen data, victims face long-term risks, including credit damage, impersonation, and persistent monitoring needs. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in AMS’s cybersecurity defenses, particularly in safeguarding high-value personal records from external intrusions.

Source: https://www.maine.gov/agviewer/content/ag/985235c7-cb95-4be2-8792-a1252b4f8318/0c359484-5b5f-45ec-a1f5-9ceccec0b442.shtml

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/american-meteorological-society

"id": "ame011091825",
"linkid": "american-meteorological-society",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "8/2023",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 557,
                        'industry': 'Meteorology / Scientific Research',
                        'location': 'United States',
                        'name': 'American Meteorological Society',
                        'type': 'Non-profit Organization'}],
 'attack_vector': 'Hacking',
 'customer_advisories': 'Identity theft protection services offered for 12 '
                        'months to affected individuals',
 'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes',
                 'number_of_records_exposed': 557,
                 'personally_identifiable_information': ['Names',
                                                         'Social Security '
                                                         'numbers'],
                 'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
                 'type_of_data_compromised': ['Personally Identifiable '
                                              'Information (PII)']},
 'date_detected': '2023-08-09',
 'description': 'The Maine Office of the Attorney General reported that the '
                'American Meteorological Society experienced an external '
                'system breach (hacking) affecting 557 individuals, of which 5 '
                'are residents of Maine. The compromised information included '
                'names and Social Security numbers, and identity theft '
                'protection services were offered for 12 months.',
 'impact': {'data_compromised': ['Names', 'Social Security numbers'],
            'identity_theft_risk': 'High (PII exposed)',
            'systems_affected': ['External system']},
 'references': [{'source': 'Maine Office of the Attorney General'}],
 'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': 'Maine Office of the '
                                                       'Attorney General'},
 'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Notification letters sent to affected '
                                        'individuals (2023-12-14)'},
 'title': 'American Meteorological Society External System Breach',
 'type': 'Data Breach'}