Simpson Strong-Tie Data Breach: Oct 9-11 Incident

What Happened?

On October 10, 2023, Simpson Strong-Tie Co. Inc., a prominent supplier in the building materials industry, encountered a significant security incident. An unauthorized third party managed to infiltrate the company's information technology infrastructure. This breach was promptly discovered by the company, and they took immediate action to secure the breached systems.

The intrusion was detected swiftly, and Simpson Strong-Tie responded by securing their systems and initiating an investigation with the help of external cybersecurity experts. The investigation revealed that the unauthorized access occurred from October 9, 2023, to October 11, 2023. During this period, the intruder had access to sensitive data, including personal information of certain individuals.

The company took further steps by notifying federal law enforcement and publicly disclosing the incident through an 8-K filing on October 11, 2023. The detailed investigation into the breach has been thorough, aiming to identify all accessed data and the individuals potentially impacted.

What Information Was Involved?

The data accessed during the breach included sensitive personal information. While the specific types of data compromised have not been disclosed in detail, it typically could include names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and possibly financial information, considering the nature of the breach.

What Is Being Done?

Simpson Strong-Tie has implemented several security measures to strengthen their systems post-breach. These include an enterprise-wide password reset, enhancing security monitoring and logging capabilities, and a review of account permissions. The company is also considering additional security enhancements to prevent future incidents.

To address the potential impact on affected individuals, Simpson Strong-Tie has offered complimentary two-year credit and identity monitoring services through Experian. Affected individuals can enroll in the Experian IdentityWorks service using a unique activation code provided by the company. For more details on how to enroll, visit Experian IdentityWorks.

What You Can Do

If you believe you might have been affected by this breach, it is crucial to remain vigilant by monitoring your account statements and credit reports regularly. If you notice any suspicious or unusual activity, immediately report it to your financial institutions.

You are also encouraged to place fraud alerts and consider freezing your credit reports to prevent new credit from being opened in your name without your consent. You can obtain a free copy of your credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting agencies at AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling (877) 322-8228.

For further assistance and to learn about additional protective measures, please refer to the Federal Trade Commission’s guidance on identity theft at the FTC's Identity Theft website.

For More Information

If you have any questions or need further information regarding this data breach and how it may affect you, Simpson Strong-Tie has set up a dedicated helpline. You can contact them at 1-833-918-4644. Additionally, for more information about the company and ongoing updates, visit their official website at Simpson Strong-Tie.