Strauss Borrelli PLLC, a leading data breach law firm, is investigating The Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery, Inc., which does business as the Walters Art Museum (“Walters”), regarding its recent data breach. The Walters data breach may have involved sensitive personal identifiable information and protected health information belonging to an undetermined number of individuals.
ABOUT THE TRUSTEES OF THE WALTERS ART GALLERY, INC. D/B/A THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM:
Walters is an art museum located in Baltimore, Maryland. Opened in 1934, Walters’ foundational art collection consisted of 22,000 objects, which was begun by William T. Walters and expanded by his son, Henry Walters, who gifted the collection to the City of Baltimore.4 Since then, Walters has expanded both its architectural footprint and the breadth and depth of its collection.4 Through purchases and the generosity of donors, the collection has grown from 22,000 objects to now more than 36,000, and its scope has expanded across time, geography, and culture.4 In addition to offering free admission to the museum and special exhibitions, Walters is committed to public education, offering essential programs that help people to connect art to their lives.4
WHAT HAPPENED?
Recently, Walters reported to the Attorney General of Maine that it had experienced a data breach in which the sensitive personal identifiable information and protected health information in its systems may have been accessed. According to the breach notice, on November 18, 2023, Walters became aware of suspicious activity that disrupted the operability of certain computer systems and servers within its network.1 As a result, Walters launched an investigation to determine the nature of the incident.
Through its investigation, Walters learned that sensitive personal information in its systems may have been compromised by an unauthorized individual between October 10, 2023, and November 18, 2023. As a result, Walters began a review of the data to determine what information had been impacted as well as identify the specific individuals affected. On August 28, 2024, Walters completed this review. While the information impacted varies depending on the individual, the type of information potentially exposed includes:
- Name
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Contact information
- Demographic information
- Financial information (e.g., account number, account type, routing number, institution name)
- Government issued identification
- Medical information
- Health insurance information
On September 27, 2024, Walters began mailing data breach notification letters to impacted individuals. Based on the breach notice sent to Maine residents, Walters is providing affected individuals with a list of the specific type of sensitive information impacted and complimentary credit monitoring services. A link to the form breach notification letters that Walters filed with the Attorney General of Maine is below.
If you received a breach notification letter from The Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery, Inc. d/b/a the Walters Art Museum:
We would like to speak with you about your rights and potential legal remedies in response to this data breach. Please fill out the form, below, or contact us at 872.263.1100 or sam@straussborrelli.com.
