Industry News: ESG5

The Target:​ A not-for-profit financial organization, Fairmont Federal Credit Union offers services such as business and home mortgage loans, financial first aid, and personal checking. It operates nine regional branches in West Virginia.

The Take: The hackers stole files containing names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, government ID numbers, financial information, medical and health insurance information, and other personal data. More alarming is that the stolen information contains full credit card/debit card details, including card numbers, security codes/PIN numbers, and expiration dates. IRS PIN numbers, tax ID numbers, routing numbers, and full access credentials were also compromised in the data breach.

The Vector: The organization discovered the cybersecurity incident on January 23, 2024 and launched a prompt and thorough forensic investigation, concluding on August 17, 2025, that files stolen from its network contained personal information.

This breach highlights the extreme importance of timely software updates for known software vulnerabilities, not only in systems directly under a firm’s control, but in third-party systems the firm relies upon as well. The longer a firm, or its vendors, hold out on deploying the most up-to-date software for their systems, the greater the chance an attacker will exploit the issue.

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