Barnstable County Sheriff's office reports internal data breach
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The Barnstable County Sheriff's Office in Massachusetts is reporting a data breach that was caused by an employee intentionally exfiltrating sensitive information. The Sheriff became aware of the breach on April 22, 2025. The incident involved an employee sending a spreadsheet containing personal information to their private email account.
The compromised data included personal information of more than 100 former employees and one current employee of the Sheriff's Office:
- Names
- Home addresses
- Telephone numbers
- Dates of birth
- Social Security numbers
The Sheriff's Office has emphasized that this breach was not the result of any failure in their "digital or cybersecurity safeguards". It appears to be an intentional act by the employee who has since been placed on administrative leave pending investigation.
The Barnstable County Sheriff's Office is notifying all affected individuals as well as the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, as required by state law. Due to the ongoing investigation, the Sheriff's Office has stated they cannot provide further details at this time.
