dailyloe.com – Comcast has agreed to a $117.5 million settlement over a 2023 data breach affecting Xfinity customers, according to court documents. The proposed settlement resolves a class action lawsuit stemming from a cyberattack that exposed personal information. The breach occurred between October 16 and October 19, 2023, and was disclosed by the company in December 2023. The attack impacted an estimated 35.8 million customers.
Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Citrix software during the attack. The exposed data included usernames and hashed passwords. For some customers, the last four digits of Social Security numbers were also exposed. Contact information and security questions and answers were compromised as well.
Comcast denies any wrongdoing or violation of the law. The settlement is pending approval in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Customers who received a breach notification from Comcast are automatically included in the settlement class. They are eligible to file a claim for compensation.
Eligible customers can seek reimbursement for documented out-of-pocket losses. These losses must be related to identity theft or credit monitoring services. Costs for credit freezes incurred after October 16, 2023, also qualify. Reimbursement is capped at $10,000 per claimant.
Customers can also claim compensation for time spent dealing with fraud. They can claim up to five hours of lost time at a rate of $30 per hour. This applies to time spent on preventative measures as well. Those without documented losses can opt for an alternative cash payment.
The alternative cash payment is estimated to be around $50. The final amount may be adjusted up or down. This adjustment depends on how many claims are filed. All settlement class members are eligible for identity protection services.
The identity protection services last for three years. They include credit monitoring and dark web monitoring. The services also provide up to $1 million in identity theft insurance. Access to fraud specialists is included as well.
The deadline to file a claim is August 14. Claims can be submitted online at www.comcastbreachsettlement.com. They can also be mailed to the settlement administrator. The settlement affects more customers than Comcast’s entire broadband subscriber base at the time.[]
Source: ABC10
