A data breach exposed sensitive information of thousands of applicants participating in New York City’s affordable housing lottery program. The incident, initially uncovered by a CBS News New York investigation in July 2023, raised serious concerns about the security of personal data handled by the city’s housing authority. The breach prompted the New York City Council’s Housing Committee to demand answers, escalating scrutiny over HPD’s cybersecurity measures and data protection protocols. While the exact nature of the compromised data (e.g., financial records, personal identifiers, or application details) was not fully disclosed, the exposure of applicant information in a high-stakes program like affordable housing where eligibility relies on sensitive documentation poses significant risks of identity theft, fraud, or targeted scams. The breach also eroded public trust in the city’s ability to safeguard vulnerable populations relying on these lotteries for housing stability. HPD responded by asserting the lotteries remain 'safe,' but the incident underscored systemic vulnerabilities in municipal data systems, particularly those managing large-scale social programs.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/nyc-dept.-of-housing-preservation-and-development
"id": "nyc4262342091925",
"linkid": "nyc-dept.-of-housing-preservation-and-development",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "7/2023",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Thousands of affordable housing '
'lottery applicants',
'industry': 'Public Housing / Urban Development',
'location': 'New York City, New York, USA',
'name': 'New York City Department of Housing '
'Preservation and Development (HPD)',
'type': 'Government Agency'}],
'data_breach': {'number_of_records_exposed': 'Thousands',
'personally_identifiable_information': True,
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (includes personally '
'identifiable information)',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Personal applicant '
'information']},
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2023-07',
'description': "New York City Council's Housing Committee is investigating a "
"data breach affecting thousands of applicants in the city's "
'affordable housing lottery program. The breach was first '
'reported by CBS News New York in July 2023. The incident '
'exposed personal information of applicants, raising concerns '
'about data security in the program managed by the New York '
'City Department of Housing Preservation and Development '
'(HPD). HPD has stated that the lotteries remain safe despite '
'the breach.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Potential reputational damage to HPD '
'and NYC affordable housing program due '
'to loss of public trust in data '
'security.',
'data_compromised': ['Personal information of housing lottery '
'applicants'],
'identity_theft_risk': 'High (personal applicant data exposed)'},
'investigation_status': "Ongoing (NYC Council's Housing Committee pressing "
'for answers)',
'references': [{'date_accessed': '2023-07', 'source': 'CBS News New York'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'Investigation by New York City '
"Council's Housing Committee"},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Public statements by HPD asserting '
'the safety of housing lotteries; '
"engagement with NYC Council's Housing "
'Committee for transparency.'},
'title': 'Data Breach in NYC Affordable Housing Lottery Program',
'type': 'Data Breach'}