HDFC Life Insurance Company on Monday (November 25, 2024) reported a customer data theft and consequently launch of an investigation to assess the potential impact.
A detailed investigation is underway in consultation with information security experts consequent to receiving “communication from an unknown source, who has shared certain data fields of our customers with us, with mala fide intent,” the private insurer said in a filing.
Data privacy of customers is valued and as an immediate measure it has initiated an information security assessment and data log analysis. The investigation is to assess the root cause and take remedial action, as necessary, HDFC Life said.
“We will take utmost care to handle concerns of our customers and take actions to safeguard their interest,” it said.
The incident involving the customer data of HDFC Life comes close on the heels of insurance regulator IRDAI issuing a statement last month on reports of data leaks from two insurers. It, however, did not name the two insurers.
One of them was Star Health and Allied Insurance Company, which had on August 14 intimated the stock exchanges about e-mails it had received from an unidentified person “claiming to have unauthorized access to a few claims data. Our cybersecurity team is already investigating the matter and simultaneously a police complaint has been filed,” it said
In its October 18 release said it considers data security as very important and takes data breach, cyber-attacks on IT systems of insurance companies seriously. Cyber security guidelines for insurers are in place that require the companies to put in place robust IT and cyber security framework for carrying out their operations, it said.
The regulator said it has issued advisory to all the insurers to check their IT systems for vulnerabilities and take necessary steps to protect the policyholders’ data.
Published - November 25, 2024 11:33 pm IST
