Michigan, 45 other states reach $17.5M settlement with Home Depot over data breach

by: Addy Bink

Posted: Nov 25, 2020 / 02:20 PM EST / Updated: Nov 25, 2020 / 02:20 PM EST

Home Depot’s fiscal second-quarter sales surged to easily top Wall Street’s expectations as consumers continued working on home projects and gardening amid the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

(WJMN) – Michigan is among a group of 45 other states and the District of Columbia to obtain a $17.5 million dollar settlement against The Home Depot.

The settlement, according to officials, resolves a multistate investigation of a 2014 data breach which exposed the payment card information of about 40 million Home Depot consumers nationwide.

According to a release, the breach occurred when hackers gained access to The Home Depot’s network and deployed malware on The Home Depot’s self-checkout point-of-sale system.

“Businesses that collect or maintain sensitive personal information must take certain measures to ensure that material is secure and protected from unlawful use or disclosure,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

“I am pleased with this settlement as it sets procedures in place that The Home Depot must follow to further protect consumers’ interests and provide them peace of mind as they shop.”

The malware allowed the hackers to obtain the payment card information of customers who used self-checkout lanes at Home Depot stores throughout the U.S. between April 2014 and Sept. 2014.

In addition to the $17.5 million total payments to the states, The Home Depot has agreed to implement and maintain a series of data security practices designed to strengthen its information security program and safeguard the personal information of consumers.

Other states participating in this settlement include: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.