DES Architects + Engineers, Inc.

The California Office of the Attorney General disclosed a data breach affecting **DES Architects + Engineers** between **September 7, 2023, and October 21, 2023**. The incident stemmed from **unauthorized network access**, leading to the potential exposure of **personal information** belonging to an **undisclosed number of individuals**. While the exact nature of the compromised data (e.g., financial records, employee details, or client information) remains unspecified, the breach highlights vulnerabilities in the firm’s cybersecurity defenses. The lack of clarity on the scope—such as whether the exposed data included sensitive identifiers (e.g., Social Security numbers, financial records) or was limited to less critical information—adds uncertainty to the severity. However, the involvement of a **government-mandated disclosure** suggests the incident met thresholds for regulatory reporting, implying a material risk to affected parties. No evidence of ransomware or immediate financial fraud has been reported, but the breach underscores the firm’s exposure to **third-party cyber intrusions** and the broader implications for trust in professional services handling confidential data.

Source: https://oag.ca.gov/ecrime/databreach/reports/sb24-584019

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/des-architects---engineers

"id": "des029090625",
"linkid": "des-architects---engineers",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "9/2023",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Unknown',
                        'industry': 'Architecture & Engineering',
                        'location': 'California, USA',
                        'name': 'DES Architects + Engineers',
                        'type': 'Company'}],
 'attack_vector': 'Unauthorized Network Access',
 'data_breach': {'number_of_records_exposed': 'Unknown',
                 'personally_identifiable_information': True,
                 'type_of_data_compromised': 'Personal Information'},
 'date_publicly_disclosed': '2024-04-16',
 'description': 'The California Office of the Attorney General reported a data '
                'breach involving DES Architects + Engineers. The breach '
                'occurred between September 7, 2023, and October 21, 2023, due '
                'to unauthorized access to their network, potentially exposing '
                'personal information of individuals affected. The number of '
                'individuals impacted is currently unknown.',
 'impact': {'data_compromised': 'Personal Information',
            'identity_theft_risk': 'Potential'},
 'references': [{'date_accessed': '2024-04-16',
                 'source': 'California Office of the Attorney General'}],
 'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': 'California Office of '
                                                       'the Attorney General'},
 'title': 'Data Breach at DES Architects + Engineers',
 'type': 'Data Breach'}