OLYMPIA, Wash.-Data breaches reached an all-time state high over the past year with over 11.6 million notices being sent to Washingtonians.
The Washington State Attorney General’s Office released its annual data breach report on Nov. 26 and the numbers are the highest they’ve ever been since the report started a decade ago.
Washington saw a sharp spike in data breaches with a jump from 4.8 million in 2023 to the 11.6 million in 2024, according to the AG’s Office.
“This report offers recommendations for responding to a growing problem and continues to be a resource for Washingtonians looking for ways to protect their personal information,” said Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
According to the AG’s Office, a data breach is defined as an unauthorized acquisition of data that compromises security, confidentiality or integrity of personal information maintained by an individual, business or agency.
The increase in data breaches in the Evergreen State can be contributed to two mega breaches concerning Comcast and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, according to the AG’s repot.
The Annual Data Breach report includes resources for consumers and practices for businesses that have been affected by data breaches and tips for protecting yourself from breaches. A database of breaches in Washington is available online.
“The more people know about data breaches, the more they can protect themselves,” Attorney General Ferguson said.
More information about data breaches in Washington is also available online through the Attorney General’s Data Breach Resource Center.
