MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Some state employees and vendors who do business with Alabama are being notified that their personal information was accessed when hackers infiltrated a state computer system.
The state Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that it was making the notifications, but wouldn’t say how many employees or vendors were affected. The department said the hackers accessed personal information such as names, Social Security numbers and taxpayer identification numbers. They didn’t access taxpayer records or tax returns. In mid-September, hackers gained accessed to tax records at South Carolina’s Department of Revenue.
Alabama Homeland Security Director Spencer Collier said those affected will be connected with credit monitoring services, and the state will provide a one-year service with an identity theft service company to help detect misuse of personal information.
Department spokeswoman Leah Garner said the department could not release more information because of an ongoing criminal investigation. But she said the department believes the people behind the hacking Jan. 16 do not have a history of maliciously using personal information.
The computer system that got hacked is operated by the state Information Services Division. Garner said the state has spent about $1 million on the criminal investigation and working to make sure another hack doesn’t occur, including buying software. She said the services being provided to people and vendors whose information may have been accessed will cost less than $100,000.
That compares to $25 million that South Carolina officials have reported spending in a case involving the records of 6.4 million individuals and businesses.
