Berkshire Farm Center & Services for Youth

The Berkshire Farm Center & Services for Youth, based in Canaan, New York, experienced a significant data breach that was first identified around July 14, 2022. An unauthorized third party hacked into Berkshire’s servers, gaining access to sensitive information including names, financial account numbers, credit/debit card numbers, along with security codes, access codes, passwords, or PINs for those accounts[1]. This breach raised concerns about potential identity theft and fraud, as victims of such data thefts have historically faced fraudulent charges on their accounts, unauthorized orders for medical and/or government services, and the posting of their information on the dark web[1].

In response to the breach, Berkshire Farm Center took immediate action to investigate the incident and determine the extent of the data impacted. They also notified the Department of Health and Human Services and other regulators as required[3]. To assist potentially affected individuals, Berkshire Farm Center established a dedicated assistance line and offered access to credit monitoring through TransUnion at no cost[3]. The organization encouraged individuals to remain vigilant, review their account statements and credit reports for suspicious activity, and consider placing fraud alerts or security freezes on their credit files[3].

This incident was not the first data breach involving Berkshire Farm Center. A previous incident in May 2020 involved a ransomware attack on Blackbaud, a third-party vendor, which potentially compromised the information maintained by Berkshire Farm Center, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account information, medical information, and treatment information[3]. Following this earlier breach, Berkshire Farm Center also took steps to secure their systems, review and improve existing policies and procedures regarding third-party vendors, and work with Blackbaud to evaluate additional protective measures[3].

The breaches at Berkshire Farm Center & Services for Youth highlight the ongoing challenges organizations face in protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and incident response plans to mitigate the impact of such incidents on affected individuals[1][3].

Citations:

1. https://classlawdc.com/2023/03/01/berkshire-farm-center-services-for-youth-data-breach/
2. https://www.wicz.com/story/49507090/berkshire-farm-center-and-youth-services-are-looking-for-foster-parents
3. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/berkshire-farm-center–services-for-youth-inc-provides-notice-of-a-data-breach-301136083.html
4. https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/local-news/child-welfare-center-to-see-improvements-to-family-visitations/
5. https://apps.web.maine.gov/online/aeviewer/ME/40/4c1d6f6d-a06a-49d0-b1d2-d1fec0245873.shtml
6. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/lawsuit-says-colonie-youth-jail-death-result-18192724.php
7. https://ago.vermont.gov/sites/ago/files/2023-03/2023-02-28%20Berkshire%20Farm%20Center%20%26%20Services%20for%20Youth%20Data%20Breach%20Notice%20to%20Consumers.pdf
8. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2023/12/24/holiday-angel-program-provides-christmas-gifts-for-foster-kids
9. https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/teen-held-in-new-york-juvenile-detention-died-of-fentanyl-overdose-lawsuit-says/242935
10. https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-08-18/north-adams-man-to-traverse-berkshire-county-south-to-north-in-fundraiser-for-city-teen-center
11. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-supreme-court/1727090.html
12. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2023/06/22/new-partnership-provides-safe-space-for-parents-of-lgbtq–youth-
13. https://www.nycourts.gov/Reporter/3dseries/2007/2007_00349.htm
14. https://capitalregionchamber.com/news/berkshire-farm-center-services-for-youth-names-brian-parchesky-as-new-chief-executive-officer/
15. https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/new-york-juvenile-detention-facility-faced-scrutiny-before-teenagers-death/235725