Cyber Incident Victim: TBG West Insurance
Date:
Mar 2020
Location:
United States of America
Summary
A ransomware attack on vendor TBG West Insurance compromised sensitive employee information from a major law firm, potentially exposing Social Security numbers of current and former personnel. The breach did not affect the firm's internal systems or client data. Separately, unauthorized code inserted via third-party software on bar association websites may have harvested members' credit card details. Both incidents stemmed from vulnerabilities in external service providers rather than direct breaches of the organizations' own infrastructure.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
A ransomware attack targeting TBG West Insurance, a vendor serving Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, occurred on or around March 27, 2020. During this incident, unauthorized actors compromised TBG West's systems and potentially accessed sensitive information belonging to current and former employees of the law firm. Cadwalader became aware of the breach in July 2020 when forensic analysis revealed that employee data held by the vendor—including Social Security numbers—may have been exfiltrated. The breach notification explicitly stated that Cadwalader's internal systems remained unaffected, with no compromise of client data or firm-operated infrastructure. Cadwalader reported the incident to the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs, confirming the breach originated solely within the vendor's environment.
The incident's primary impact centered on the potential exposure of personally identifiable information (PII), specifically Social Security numbers, of Cadwalader personnel. No operational disruption occurred at the law firm itself due to the isolation of the breach to TBG West's systems. Cadwalader's public communications emphasized the absence of client data involvement and the containment of the breach to the vendor's infrastructure. While the exact number of affected individuals was not disclosed, the firm undertook regulatory notifications consistent with state breach disclosure requirements. The ransomware attack on TBG West also coincided with separate cybersecurity incidents involving the New York City Bar Association and Chicago Bar Association, though those breaches stemmed from unauthorized code injections on their websites and were unrelated to the TBG West ransomware event.