WHDH-TV

On August 15, 2020, WHDH-TV, a television station based in Maine, fell victim to a ransomware attack that compromised a database containing personal information, including Social Security numbers, of 775 individuals (with 14 being Maine residents). The breach resulted in the theft of sensitive data, exposing affected individuals to potential identity theft risks. In response, the company offered identity theft protection services to mitigate harm. The incident highlights the severe consequences of ransomware attacks on organizations handling personally identifiable information (PII), as unauthorized access to such data can lead to long-term financial and reputational damage for victims. The attack underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures, particularly in sectors where customer data confidentiality is paramount.

Source: https://www.maine.gov/agviewer/content/ag/985235c7-cb95-4be2-8792-a1252b4f8318/9b09042b-dc2c-40c6-93de-2a699b3fe752.shtml

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/whdh-channel-7

"id": "whd1017090725",
"linkid": "whdh-channel-7",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "8/2020",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 775,
                        'industry': 'television',
                        'location': 'Maine, USA',
                        'name': 'WHDH-TV',
                        'type': 'media/broadcasting'}],
 'customer_advisories': ['identity theft protection services offered'],
 'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': True,
                 'number_of_records_exposed': 775,
                 'personally_identifiable_information': True,
                 'sensitivity_of_data': 'high',
                 'type_of_data_compromised': ['personal information',
                                              'Social Security numbers']},
 'date_detected': '2020-08-15',
 'description': 'The Maine Office of the Attorney General reported that '
                'WHDH-TV experienced a ransomware attack on August 15, 2020, '
                'affecting a total of 775 individuals, including 14 residents. '
                'The breach involved the theft of a database containing '
                'personal information such as Social Security numbers, and '
                'identity theft protection services were offered to those '
                'affected.',
 'impact': {'data_compromised': ['Social Security numbers',
                                 'personal information'],
            'identity_theft_risk': 'high'},
 'ransomware': {'data_exfiltration': True},
 'references': [{'source': 'Maine Office of the Attorney General'}],
 'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': ['Maine Office of the '
                                                        'Attorney General']},
 'response': {'law_enforcement_notified': True,
              'remediation_measures': ['offered identity theft protection '
                                       'services']},
 'title': 'WHDH-TV Ransomware Attack (2020)',
 'type': 'ransomware'}