The Social Security numbers of millions of South Carolinians, as well as credit and debit card information for hundreds of thousands, have been hacked in what the state's governor described Friday as an international cyberattack.
"This is not a good day for South Carolina," Gov. Nikki Haley told reporters.
The governor explained that a "server that warehouses all our taxpayer information was breached and taxpayer information was stolen."
The state's Department of Revenue explained in a press release that it first learned of a possible breach on October 10, after which the state contracted information security firm Mandiant to conduct an investigation.
The "hole" in the system was closed October 20. Over the next several days, state authorities determined that more than 3.6 million Social Security numbers may have been affected. So, too, were 387,000 credit card numbers - though only 16,000 of those were unencrypted.
On Friday, state officials laid out efforts to determine what happened and protect the personal information of taxpayers. While noting that not everyone had their information breached, Haley urged everyone who filed a tax return in South Carolina from 1998 through now to take advantage of credit protection services being offered by the state.
"While we now have it protected, we want to make sure that everybody understands that our state will respond with a big, large-scale plan that is somewhat unprecedented to take care of this problem," the governor said.
How could this happen with a Republican Governor in charge? Why is the breach just being announced now since they found out about the breach on October 10?
Nobody died, and they did not ignore it when it happened. Unlike others, they did not mislead or continue to spin the situation after the fact for their own political and personal gain. This is what is called integrity.
Mike doesn't get it. "Timely Notification" doesn't mean weeks. It means days.
actually they knew it in august, I wonder the same thing about this state and how it is handled. Another large company in SC had its customers hacked a few months back.
If people in this state of SC Think our President is in anyway connected to this then you are lacking knowledge. Don't show the world ignorance. SC Gov. knew this in August of this year, why wait to inform.
A few month back another Major company in SC was hacked and all SC customers were notified as soon as they found out about it. Sorry this state is lethargic, look at our school system.
women lied to obambi-poo to make him feel good -sorry, but size DOES matter
Right.... When Obama is trying to take over the internet with a presidential order.
It is not the Government that has taken over the internet. That is Google's job.
obambi-poo's losing strategy with women: all talk no action -"speak hashly and carry a small stick"
obambi-poo's losing strategy with cybersecurity and women -all talk and no action to back it up - small plans -- women told him size matters, what he did to get them, he needed to do to keep them -- "speak harshly and carry a tiny stick"
On what planet does anyone store SSNs unencrypted these days? Is South Carolina datebase design in some kind of Alternate Stupid Universe or something?!?
Because the leadership of South Carolina is a simple minded moron.
well sc is the hick capital of the world.
PIERS MORGAN: do they say "respect begets respect" in england? wht respect did obambi-poo show women the last four years? angry and scorned women bite back ten times harder then men. do you hear women shout "we lied, size does matter?" romney has something "bigger and better" to give women in the utmost respectable manner - obambi-poo is jealous and disrespected himself with virgin video, and asking dirty boy clinton to be his mouthpiece. obambi-poo feels insecure and incompetent. our women feel it - women will give strong men what they want if made to feel appreciated and honored in return. all those unemployed women feel disrespected and exploited for votes. think about it.
have thought about it. go take your meds.
ObamaCare will have everyone's health records soon in DC.
national security gets breached - women don't feel secure and satisfied with obambi-poo - romney stronger and has omething "bigger and better" for our disrespected women of all colors.
Forget politics!! Redfirestorm you need to see a shrink. Nut job overshare!!
Please Give Redfirestorm a break, I find it highly refreshing to see fact based ridicule of Obama.
It's Alinsky with a twist, and then there is the pointed reiterration of Willards BBD... (For those not in the know, this stands for Bigger Better Deal)...
Why doesn't the state(s) offer the credit protection all the time anyways?
I wonder if more than SSN numbers were compromised – chances are our names, address, zip code, phone numbers and info about our income probably were also taken. Listen to what they aren't telling!
What does social security number breach in South Carolina have anything to do with Pres. Obama or Gov. Romney? Nothing. One is from Illinois, the other is from Massachusetts.
Romney trying to fake votes
Romney is not the one with relatives who are Computer Experts with criminal records to prove it, Obama's aunt is...
Why do we need SS numbers in the land of pitch forks and guns?