Massachusetts’s attorney general on Tuesday said the state intends to sue credit reporting firm Equifax Inc. over its failure to protect sensitive and personal information of up to nearly three million Massachusetts residents.
“In all of our years investigating data breaches, this may be the most brazen failure to protect consumer data we have ever seen,” said Attorney General Maura Healey. “My office is acting as quickly as possible to hold Equifax accountable for the risks that millions of consumers now face.”
Last week, Equifax reported a breach which it said potentially compromised the personal information of 143 million consumers nationwide, including nearly three million Massachusetts consumers.
Healey launched an investigation into the incident on Friday, one day after Equifax disclosed the massive breach.
The AG’s Office intends to allege in its lawsuit that Equifax did not maintain the appropriate safeguards to protect consumer data in violation of Massachusetts consumer protection and data privacy laws and regulations.
Several state attorneys general have also launched investigations into the breach, including those representing Pennsylvania and New York.
Lawmakers in Washington have also criticized the company’s handling of the breach, including its role in safeguarding the confidential data which was illegally accessed.
