Minnesota jobs website reports data breach exposing contact information of job seekers

The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) in Minnesota is notifying jobseekers of a data breach involving unauthorized access to their personal information.

The breach occurred at the state-licensed MinnesotaWorks.net platform, according to the DEED’s notice. Although it’s unclear how many individuals may have been affected by the breach, the DEED did provide some information regarding the hack.

In the letter to jobseekers sent Sept. 6, the agency said it received reports of suspicious communication about a person claiming to be a MinnesotaWorks.net. employee. This individual, allegedly, viewed and copied user resume information without authorization. Potentially exposed information included email addresses, phone numbers and physical addresses.

The DEED said it "immediately revoked the unauthorized individual(s) access on the MinnesotaWorks.net website," and notified all potentially impacted individuals.

"The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) respects and values the privacy of jobseekers’ personal information,” DEED told FOX 9 reporters. “DEED has actively undertaken a plan to improve the infrastructure of the MinnesotaWorks.net website and to make security technology upgrades as necessary. We sincerely regret this incident and apologize for any impact it may have."

Jobseekers are advised to watch out for phishing attacks to prevent identity crimes, including:

· Scrutinizing unsolicited correspondence from individuals who claim to be government employees/agents and ask for sensitive data or financial info

· Closely monitor accounts for suspicious activity

· Report fraudulent activity to the police and FTC

· Review credit reports

· Use a security solution to prevent malware attacks and online scams

· Start monitoring your digital footprint and check for data leaks online

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