Texas Banks Hit by Data Breaches Affecting 1,890 Individuals

Two prominent banking institutions recently disclosed significant data breaches that affected a substantial number of individuals in the state of Texas. The first breach involved Western Alliance Bank, headquartered in Phoenix, which reported that 1,222 Texans were impacted. The notification, published on the Texas Attorney General’s website, did not specify the number of out-of-state residents affected, leaving the total scope of the breach uncertain. The compromised information included names, addresses, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, government-issued ID numbers, account numbers, credit card numbers, debit card numbers, and birth dates. Western Alliance Bank, with nearly $83 billion in consolidated assets, had previously reported a separate breach earlier this year. In a filing with the Office of the Maine Attorney General, the bank disclosed that an unauthorized actor exploited a vulnerability in a third-party file transfer software system, resulting in the theft of information from 21,899 customers. It remains unclear whether the two breaches are related.

The second breach affected Peoples Bank, based in Lubbock, Texas, impacting 668 individuals in the state. The stolen information from Peoples Bank included names, addresses, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, account numbers, credit card numbers, debit card numbers, medical information, and birth dates. Peoples Bank, with more than $1.1 billion in consolidated assets, is another significant financial institution affected by this data breach. The total number of individuals impacted by both breaches is 1,890, highlighting the severity of the situation. The breaches underscore the vulnerability of financial institutions to cyber threats and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. The incidents also raise concerns about the potential misuse of sensitive personal and financial information, which could lead to identity theft and financial fraud. Both banks have likely initiated investigations and are taking steps to mitigate the impact on their customers. The breaches serve as a reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance and proactive measures to protect against cyber threats in the financial sector.