Hackers target utility services, steal data of thousands

Attackers breached the electricity and water provider Starkville Utilities' defenses, getting their hands on data of over 11K individuals.

Mississippi-based Starkville, which services Mississippi State University, noticed attackers roaming its systems in late October of last year, prompting the company to disconnect access to the network.

However, a subsequent investigation determined that despite these efforts, attackers may have accessed sensitive user data, including Social Security numbers (SSNs) as well as full customer names.

The incident may have impacted over 11,000 individuals, according to data the company submitted to the Maine Attorney General’s Office

Attackers crave personal user data - once stolen, SSNs, individual names, and other sensitive data quickly end up on underground marketplaces, where cybercriminals can buy the data to use in whichever way they like. The most common use of stolen details is identity theft.

However, Starkville claims it “has not received any reports of related identity theft since the date of the incident.” Moreover, the company says it will offer potentially impacted individuals twelve months of complimentary identity protection services.