AG Derek Schmidt: States reach $600 million settlement with Equifax for data breach affecting more than 1.1 million Kansans

Kansas and 49 other states and jurisdictions have reached a settlement with Equifax as the result of an investigation into a massive 2017 data breach that exposed the personal information of more than 1.1 million Kansans, Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced today.

The investigation found that Equifax’s failure to maintain a reasonable security system enabled hackers to penetrate its systems, exposing the data of 56 percent of American adults—the largest-ever breach of consumer data. The state attorneys general secured a settlement with Equifax that includes a Consumer Restitution Fund of up to $425 million, a $175 million payment to the states, and injunctive relief, which also includes a significant financial commitment.