Tag: Data Breach

News

Another dastardly deed …

I am writing to inform you of a recent cybersecurity incident that involved recreational fishing license data. This notice provides information about the incident, what information may have been exposed, and what you can do to protect yourself.

WHAT HAPPENED

On March 30, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) was made aware of a cybersecurity breach within the network of a third-party vendor who uses fishing license information to conduct the Automated License Directory Online Survey (ALDOS) necessary to produce recreational ocean fishing catch and effort estimates.

WHAT INFORMATION WAS INVOLVED

The following fishing license information may have been included within the documents saved on the compromised network:

  • Last Name
  • First Name
  • Middle Name
  • Suffix
  • Age In Years
  • Gender
  • Email Address
  • Primary Phone Number
  • Secondary (Evening) Phone Number
  • Mobile Phone Number
  • GO ID (Fishing/Angler License #)
  • Information about the license, such as license type and sales date.

WHAT WE ARE DOING

Upon notification of the incident, CDFW ceased sharing any additional license data with the vendor. CDFW is considering a suite of options to better protect the license data from future incidents. We are also taking the additional step, out of an abundance of caution, to alert you to the fact that your personal information may have been viewed by an unauthorized person so that you can determine what further actions you would like to take to prevent any potential personal harm.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

If you have concerns about any potential harm, please consult the resources below; these websites have helpful information to protect you from potential identify theft, including how to receive a free copy of your credit report either through the Fair Credit Reporting Act or as a result of placing a fraud alert on your credit files:

If you suspect you may be a victim of identity theft, you should place a fraud alert on your credit file. You can also place a security freeze on your account to help prevent unauthorized access to your credit reports. Fraud alerts and security freezes must be initiated at each of the three credit bureaus:

When you receive your credit reports, carefully look them over for the following:

  • Accounts you did not open;
  • Inquiries from creditors that you did not initiate;
  • Personal information, such as your home address and Social Security number, that is not accurate.

If you see anything you do not understand, call the credit reporting agency at the telephone number on the report. If you do find suspicious activity on your credit reports, call your local police or sheriff’s office and file a report of identity theft. Get a copy of the police report as you may need to give copies to creditors to clear up any issues.

We offer our sincerest apology that this unfortunate incident occurred. Please be assured that protecting and safeguarding your personal information is one of our highest priorities. Please send any questions or concerns regarding this matter to ALDOS.Help@wildlife.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Craig Shuman
Marine Regional Manager
California Department of Fish and Wildlife