On July 21, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) filed charges against First American Title Insurance Company (First American) for violating multiple sections of the New York Cybersecurity Regulation,  23 NYCRR 500.00, et seq.  The significance of the NYDFS enforcement action cannot be overemphasized.  This is the first action filed under the Cybersecurity Regulation, signaling a more aggressive enforcement stance by the regulator.  The good news is the filings provide important guidance on best practices and red flags to avoid agency sanctions.

The NYDFS Statement of Charges alleges that First American knowingly exposed tens of millions of documents containing consumer sensitive personal information (e.g., bank account numbers, bank statements, mortgage records, Social Security numbers, wire transaction receipts, drivers’ license images, etc.). The charges further allege that for almost 5 years (from October 2014 through May 2019) these records were available on First American’s public-facing website to anyone with a web browser.  The fact that First American failed to remediate the vulnerability, even after it was discovered by a penetration test in December 2018, was particularly troublesome for the regulators.  The charges state that, “Remarkably, [First American] allowed unfettered access to the personal and financial data of millions of its customers for six more months. . .”   Clearly, the NYDFS found this treatment of sensitive consumer data unconscionable and that First American demonstrated a total disregard for the Cyber Regulations.Continue Reading NYDFS State of Mind: Regulator Focus and Enforcement Trends