- Fidelity Investments confirmed a data breach impacting 77,099 customers, with no direct access to Fidelity accounts.
- The breach occurred between Aug. 17-19, and external security experts were enlisted to resolve the issue.
- Affected customers are offered free credit monitoring services for two years through TransUnion.
Fidelity Investments has confirmed a data breach that compromised the personal information of 77,099 customers. The company, which manages assets worth $5 trillion, notified Maine’s attorney general on October 9 about the breach, which occurred between August 17 and 19. The breach impacted a small portion of Fidelity’s 51.5 million customer base.
The attacker accessed customer names and other personal details using two newly created accounts. Fidelity detected the breach on August 19, at which point unauthorized access was immediately halted. The company has since worked with external security experts to investigate and resolve the issue, emphasizing that no Fidelity accounts were accessed during the incident.
Fidelity’s Response and Customer Support
Fidelity is offering those affected two years of free credit monitoring and identity restoration services through TransUnion Interactive. In its notice, the company urged impacted customers to enroll in the service and stay vigilant for any signs of fraudulent activity. Fidelity also recommended regular reviews of financial statements as an additional precaution.
This marks Fidelity’s fourth data breach within the past year, with previous incidents occurring on March 4, March 18, and July 19. The company did not provide an immediate comment on the latest breach.
Data Breach Concerns Across Industries
Fidelity is not alone in facing cybersecurity challenges. This year, both OpenAI and AT&T have experienced significant data breaches, with the latter affecting more than 100 million customers. The growing frequency of such incidents highlights the need for stronger security measures across industries.
In addition to managing assets, Fidelity has launched several cryptocurrency-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) this year, including the Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund and Ethereum Fund, which have collectively garnered billions in inflows.
