Panera Bread suffered a major data breach exposing sensitive customer information, including **Social Security numbers, addresses, birth dates, and passcodes**, from **73 million accounts** (current and former customers). The breach occurred in two phases: **March 30, 2024**, and **July 12, 2024**, with hackers downloading data from a third-party cloud platform and leaking it on the dark web. The incident led to consolidated state and federal lawsuits, alleging negligence in cybersecurity measures. Customers faced risks of identity theft, fraud, and financial losses, with compensation claims categorized into tiers: **up to $500 for ordinary losses (e.g., credit monitoring)**, **$2,500 for time spent resolving issues**, and **$6,500 for documented extraordinary losses**. The breach severely damaged customer trust and exposed the company to legal and reputational consequences.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/panera-bread
"id": "pan3962339111225",
"linkid": "panera-bread",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "3/2024",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '73,000,000 (estimated)',
'industry': 'Food and Beverage / Retail',
'location': 'United States (nationwide)',
'name': 'Panera Bread',
'size': 'Large (millions of customers)',
'type': 'Bakery-cafe chain'}],
'attack_vector': ['Unauthorized access to customer database',
'Third-party cloud platform compromise'],
'customer_advisories': 'Eligible customers instructed to file claims by '
'November 11, 2025, for compensation (up to $6,500 for '
'extraordinary losses, $500 for ordinary losses).',
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Confirmed (data found on dark web)',
'number_of_records_exposed': '73,000,000',
'personally_identifiable_information': ['Names',
'Addresses',
'Social Security '
'numbers',
'Birth dates',
'Passcodes'],
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (SSNs, birth dates, passcodes)',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Personally Identifiable '
'Information (PII)',
'Sensitive authentication data']},
'date_detected': '2024-03-30',
'date_publicly_disclosed': ['2024-03-30', '2024-07-12'],
'description': 'A major data breach at Panera Bread exposed sensitive '
'customer information, including addresses, Social Security '
'numbers, birth dates, and passcodes, affecting approximately '
'73 million accounts. The compromised data was found on a dark '
'web dataset, leading to consolidated state and federal '
'lawsuits. Two incidents were reported: one on March 30, 2024, '
'and another on July 12, 2024, involving a third-party cloud '
'platform. A class action lawsuit settlement offers '
'compensation to affected customers, with claims due by '
'November 11, 2025.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Significant (lawsuits, settlement, '
'public disclosure)',
'customer_complaints': 'Multiple (led to class action lawsuit)',
'data_compromised': ['Addresses',
'Social Security numbers',
'Birth dates',
'Passcodes',
'Customer account details'],
'identity_theft_risk': 'High (SSNs, birth dates, and passcodes '
'exposed)',
'legal_liabilities': ['Class action lawsuit',
'Consolidated state and federal lawsuits',
'Settlement payments (up to $6,500 per '
'claimant)'],
'systems_affected': ['Customer database',
'Third-party cloud platform']},
'initial_access_broker': {'data_sold_on_dark_web': 'Confirmed (compromised '
'dataset found on dark '
'web)',
'high_value_targets': 'Customer database (PII and '
'authentication data)'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (settlement pending Final Fairness Hearing '
'on January 29, 2026)',
'motivation': 'Likely financial (data sold on dark web)',
'post_incident_analysis': {'root_causes': 'Alleged failure to implement '
'adequate cybersecurity measures'},
'references': [{'source': 'Panera Bread Data Breach Settlement Website'},
{'source': 'Class Action Lawsuit Filings (State and Federal)'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': ['Class action lawsuit',
'State and federal lawsuits '
'(consolidated)']},
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['Customer notifications via '
'settlement administrators',
'Public disclosure of breach details',
'Settlement website for claims']},
'stakeholder_advisories': 'Customers notified via settlement administrators; '
'public deadlines communicated (claims due by '
'November 11, 2025).',
'title': 'Panera Bread Data Breach (2024)',
'type': 'Data Breach',
'vulnerability_exploited': 'Inadequate cybersecurity measures (alleged)'}