On December 16, 2023, Ascend Dedicated, LLC (operating as Dedicated Transportation Solutions) experienced a data breach that went undetected until May 6, 2024. The incident involved unauthorized access to sensitive personal information, specifically Social Security numbers (SSNs), affecting 6,812 individuals. The breach was formally reported to the Maine Office of the Attorney General on May 17, 2024. The exposure of SSNs poses significant risks, including identity theft, financial fraud, and long-term reputational harm to the affected individuals. Given the nature of the compromised data highly sensitive and permanently identifiable information the breach carries severe implications for both the victims and the company. The delayed discovery (nearly five months) further exacerbates the potential damage, as malicious actors may have had prolonged access to exploit the stolen data. As a transportation logistics provider, DTS handles data critical to its operations and client trust. The breach underscores vulnerabilities in its cybersecurity defenses, particularly in detecting and mitigating unauthorized access. The incident may also trigger regulatory scrutiny, legal liabilities, and mandatory notifications under data protection laws (e.g., state breach laws, potential GDPR implications if EU citizens are involved).
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/ascend-transportation
"id": "asc028091825",
"linkid": "ascend-transportation",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "12/2023",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 6812,
'industry': 'Transportation/Logistics',
'name': 'Ascend Dedicated, LLC d/b/a Dedicated '
'Transportation Solutions (DTS)',
'type': 'Private Company'}],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (unauthorized access)',
'number_of_records_exposed': 6812,
'personally_identifiable_information': ['Social Security '
'numbers'],
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (includes SSNs)',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Personally Identifiable '
'Information (PII)']},
'date_detected': '2024-05-06',
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2024-05-17',
'description': 'On May 17, 2024, the Maine Office of the Attorney General '
'reported a data breach involving Ascend Dedicated, LLC d/b/a '
'Dedicated Transportation Solutions (DTS), which occurred on '
'December 16, 2023. The breach was discovered on May 6, 2024, '
'and involved unauthorized access to personal information, '
'including Social Security numbers, affecting a total of 6,812 '
'individuals.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': ['Social Security numbers'],
'identity_theft_risk': 'High (SSNs exposed)'},
'references': [{'date_accessed': '2024-05-17',
'source': 'Maine Office of the Attorney General'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': ['Maine Office of the '
'Attorney General']},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Public disclosure via Maine Office of '
'the Attorney General'},
'title': 'Data Breach at Ascend Dedicated, LLC (Dedicated Transportation '
'Solutions)',
'type': 'Data Breach'}