Insurance Giant Aon Corporation Hit With Massive Data Breach

Chicago-based Stoltmann Law Offices is representing clients who’ve been the victims of cybersecurity hacks. Third Parties who store and use your personal data have an obligation to keep that information secure. But in the online universe, cyberthieves are working 24/7 to steal this valuable commodity. Stolen data is bought and sold on the internet’s black market and used by other scamsters to open credit accounts with stolen identities.

Aon Corporation, the massive global insurance company, was recently hit with a class-action lawsuit over a cyber-hacking incident, or “data breach,” that allegedly lasted more than a year.  “The 25-page lawsuit comes after Aon revealed that it had been hit by a data breach that went undetected for over a year, from late December 2020 to February 2022, according to class-action.org. Per the complaint, cybercriminals breached the company’s systems to access insurance files containing consumers’ names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security and driver’s license numbers and, in some cases, benefit enrollment information.”

The lawsuit also claims that Aon “lacked the security necessary to prevent such a hack” or stop unauthorized parties from stealing consumers’ personally identifiable information. Per the suit, Aon has disregarded consumers’ privacy rights and exposed their information to a heightened risk of misuse.” According to the complaint, Aon’s data breach notice “deliberately underplayed the severity of the breach and misrepresented that the insurer had no evidence cybercriminals had copied, retained, or shared the data, even though Aon knew cybercriminals had accessed its files for an extended period.” The suit states “Aon has offered data breach victims only 24 months of free credit monitoring services “despite the significant [personally identifiable information] that was compromised over a two-year period.”

The plaintiff, whose employer used Aon to administer employee benefits for roughly six years, says she did not receive a notice of the data breach until June 2022. Per the case, the woman has spent and will spend “considerable time and effort” monitoring her accounts for identity theft and is experiencing “feelings of anxiety, sleep disruption, stress, fear, and frustration” as a result of the data breach.” The suit goes on to chastise Aon for “allegedly failing to timely detect the incident and notify victims. Per the case, although Aon’s internal investigation had by February 25, 2022, confirmed that consumers’ data had been subject to unauthorized access, the company waited until May to begin sending notice to those whose information was compromised.”

The suit additionally alleges that “Aon’s use of outdated and insecure computer systems and software that are easy to hack, and its failure to maintain adequate security measures and an up-to-date technology security strategy, demonstrates a willful and conscious disregard for privacy, and has exposed the [personally identifiable information] of Plaintiff and members of the proposed class to unscrupulous operators, con artists, and criminals.”

Aon, PLC is a global professional services company based in London, England. Aon provides a wide range of risk-mitigation products, including insurance, pension administration, and health insurance plans. Founded in 1982, Aon operates in 120 countries and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “AON.” Aon employs more than 50,000 people and generates more than $12 billion in annual revenue.

Have you been the victim of a data hack or digital currency scam? If you entrusted your money or personal information with a company (or lost money and personal information as a result), you may have a legal claim.  Please contact Stoltmann Law Offices, P.C. at 312-332-4200 for a free, no obligation consultation with a securities attorney. Stoltmann Law Offices is a contingency fee law firm which means we do not get paid until you do!