MARLTON, N.J. - eTradeWire -- In recent news, Console & Associates, P.C. announced that it is initiating an investigation into the recent ExecuSearch data breach to determine whether affected consumers have any legal recourse against the company. If the evidence suggests that ExecuSearch did not take the necessary steps to protect sensitive consumer data from hackers and other cybercriminals, the company may be financially liable to consumers whose information was compromised as a result of the breach.

A data breach involves an unauthorized party gaining access to consumer data, usually while the data is stored on a business's IT network. Often, data breaches stem from a person hacking into a company's network or some other type of cyberattack. While a data breach doesn't necessarily mean that the information obtained will be used for criminal purposes, it is a very real possibility. This is because, as there is no way to be sure what a hacker plans to do with the information obtained through a data breach, one of the most common reasons is to obtain data that can later be used to commit identity theft.

News of this data breach is fresh, and, as a result, the investigation into its causes is still in its infancy. However, the breach raises serious concerns about ExecuSearch's efforts to safely maintain the safety of consumer data. If it turns out that ExecuSearch mishandled consumer data leading up to the breach or did not provide the necessary security measures, affected parties may be eligible for financial compensation through a class action lawsuit.

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Attorney Richard P. Console, Jr. explains, "It's easy to place all the blame for a data breach on the person who hacks into an organization's system; however, this ignores the legal and moral obligation that these companies owe to customers. When someone gives a company their business, they trust that the information in the organization's possession will remain private—and out of the hands of criminals. While protecting consumer data requires a business to undergo some effort and expense, in our current environment of widespread hacking, this is a cost of doing business that all organizations must take seriously."

According to the most recent ExecuSearch data breach letter, on February 12, 2021, the company noticed that some of the company's computer systems suddenly were no longer accessible to staff. A subsequent investigation revealed that an unauthorized party had essentially locked ExecuSearch out of its own computer systems by encrypting certain files. The unauthorized party also removed some files from the company's network.

Once ExecuSearch learned of the data breach, it reviewed all compromised files to identify the extent of the breach and the names of all affected parties. On January 4, 2022, ExecuSearch completed its investigation, determining that the compromised files contained the names and Social Security numbers of 42,467 individuals.

On January 20, 2022, ExecuSearch sent out data breach notification letters to all affected parties, informing them of the breach and what they can do to protect themselves.

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Those receiving a data breach letter from the ExecuSearch should take the following steps to protect themselves:

1. Carefully review the letter sent by ExecuSearch;
2. Retain a copy of the data breach notification letter;
3. Enroll in the free credit monitoring service provided by ExecuSearch;
4. Change all passwords and security questions to online accounts;
5. Frequently review all credit card and bank account statements for any signs of fraud or unauthorized activity;
6. Monitor credit reports for any unexpected changes or signs of identity theft;
7. Contact a credit bureau to request a temporary fraud alert; and
8. Notify all banks and credit card companies of the data breach.

To learn more about this data breach, please visit https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/data-breach-execusearch/

Console & Associates P.C. is dedicated to protecting consumers' privacy interests. The firm investigates all types of data breaches, ransomware attacks and other network intrusions to determine the legal rights of consumers who trusted corporations with their sensitive information. Consumers can reach Console & Associates, P.C. through the firm's website at https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/consumer-privacy-data-breach-lawyers/.