Cetera Financial Group Discloses Data Breach Affecting Employee Email Account
Cetera Financial Group, a San Diego-based network of independent financial advisors and broker-dealers, recently reported a data breach stemming from unauthorized access to an employee email account. The incident, detected after suspicious activity was identified, occurred between July 7 and August 21, 2025, though the company only confirmed the exposure of personal information on January 30, 2026.
Notifications to affected individuals began on March 25, 2026, with 110 New Hampshire residents identified as potentially impacted. The total number of affected individuals nationwide remains undisclosed. Exposed data varied by individual but included names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and financial account information.
In response, Cetera Financial Group is offering complimentary credit and identity monitoring services through IDX for 12 or 24 months, depending on state regulations. Affected individuals must enroll by June 25, 2026, using a unique code provided in their notification letter. The company has also set up a dedicated call center (1-855-830-5994) and a mailing address for inquiries.
The breach highlights a six-month gap between the initial unauthorized access and the confirmation of exposed data, followed by an additional two-month delay before notifications were sent.
Source: https://www.claimdepot.com/data-breach/cetera-financial-group-2026
Cetera Financial Group cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/cetera-financial-group
"id": "CET1774543050",
"linkid": "cetera-financial-group",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "7/2025",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '110 New Hampshire residents '
'(total undisclosed)',
'industry': 'Finance',
'location': 'San Diego, California, USA',
'name': 'Cetera Financial Group',
'type': 'Financial Services'}],
'attack_vector': 'Unauthorized access to employee email account',
'customer_advisories': 'Affected individuals notified via letter with '
'enrollment instructions for credit monitoring '
'services by June 25, 2026',
'data_breach': {'personally_identifiable_information': 'Yes',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Names',
'Social Security numbers',
'Driver’s license numbers',
'Financial account information']},
'date_detected': '2025-07-07',
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2026-03-25',
'description': 'Cetera Financial Group, a San Diego-based network of '
'independent financial advisors and broker-dealers, reported a '
'data breach stemming from unauthorized access to an employee '
'email account. The incident was detected after suspicious '
'activity was identified, with unauthorized access occurring '
'between July 7 and August 21, 2025. The company confirmed the '
'exposure of personal information on January 30, 2026, and '
'notifications to affected individuals began on March 25, '
'2026.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': 'Personal information including names, Social '
'Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, '
'and financial account information',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High',
'payment_information_risk': 'High',
'systems_affected': 'Employee email account'},
'initial_access_broker': {'entry_point': 'Employee email account'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'references': [{'source': 'Cetera Financial Group Data Breach Notification'}],
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Dedicated call center '
'(1-855-830-5994) and mailing address '
'for inquiries; notifications sent via '
'letter with unique enrollment code',
'remediation_measures': 'Offering complimentary credit and '
'identity monitoring services for 12 or '
'24 months',
'third_party_assistance': 'IDX (credit and identity monitoring '
'services)'},
'title': 'Cetera Financial Group Data Breach Affecting Employee Email Account',
'type': 'Data Breach'}