On Wednesday Erie Indemnity Co. reported that the network outage that has affected all of its systems for five days and is continuing to do so was the result of a data security breach.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a notice on its website, the insurer said that on June 7 it identified unusual network activity, which it determined to be the result of an “information security event.”
Upon learning of this activity, the company said it took immediate action to respond to the situation to safeguard its systems. The company also notified and is working with law enforcement.
The company said it continues to take protective measures. It is conducting forensic analysis with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to gain a full understanding of this event.
“The investigation and response are ongoing, and the full scope, nature, and ultimate impact on the company are not yet known,” the announcement stated.
The insurer previously had not indicated a likely cause or source of the outage and it has not yet indicated whether data has been exposed.
Customers are still unable to access online accounts or reach online customer service. The company’s local agents, claims and customer care teams continue to support customers. Policyholders who need to initiate a claim can contact their local agent or call (800) 367-3743. Customer service is also available at (800) 458-0811.
During this outage, Erie Insurance advised that it will not call or email customers to request payments and it urged customers to not click any links from unknown sources or provide personal information by phone or email.
The property/casualty insurer employs more than 7,000 people and is represented by 14,000 agents.
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