Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America has confirmed a data breach impacting the majority of its 1.4 million U.S. customers. The breach, which was discovered on July 17, occurred the day before when a “malicious threat actor” accessed a third-party cloud-based system used by the company.
Scope of the Breach
The compromised data includes personally identifiable information belonging to Allianz Life customers, financial professionals, and select employees. While the full extent of the stolen data has not been disclosed, the company indicated that the majority of its U.S. customers were affected. Allianz Life stated that its own internal systems were not breached; instead, the incident involved a third-party platform.
Method of Attack
According to the company, the breach was carried out using a social engineering technique, a tactic often involving deception to gain access to sensitive systems or data. Allianz Life has not released further details, citing an ongoing investigation.
Brett Weinberg, a company spokesperson, confirmed that the organization is working with the FBI and other authorities to determine the full impact. Allianz Life has also reported the incident to multiple regulators, including the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
Customer Notification and Response
The company has begun contacting impacted individuals and will provide affected customers with 24 months of identity theft protection and credit monitoring services at no cost. Allianz Life emphasized it took immediate steps to contain the breach and mitigate further risks after it was identified.
The breach is limited to Allianz Life in the United States and does not affect other Allianz SE subsidiaries or corporate entities.
Company Background
Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, headquartered in Minneapolis, is a subsidiary of Munich-based Allianz SE. It employs nearly 2,000 people in the United States, with most staff located in Minnesota. The company was formerly known as North American Life and Casualty before its acquisition by Allianz SE in 1979.
Allianz SE is a global financial services group serving more than 125 million customers worldwide and operates five subsidiaries in North America.
Next Steps
Allianz Life’s investigation into the breach remains active. In addition to law enforcement and regulatory reporting, the company has advised customers to monitor their financial accounts and personal information closely.
For now, Allianz Life continues to focus on securing its systems, working with cybersecurity experts, and ensuring affected individuals receive the necessary support and protection.
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