Hey folks, Nuked here! Today, I’ve got an exciting (and slightly scary) story about how hackers managed to poke around in a big U.S. insurance company’s systems. Buckle up!

Aflac, one of the country’s top insurance companies, recently faced a cyberattack that led to the theft of some customers’ personal details. The company confirmed this event in a legal filing with the SEC, revealing that hackers broke in on June 12.

What’s the scoop? Well, while they haven’t pinpointed exactly how many clients were affected, the breach included sensitive info like Social Security Numbers and health data, including claims. The breach also extended to beneficiaries, employees, and agents associated with Aflac.

The company clarified that no ransomware was involved. Instead, cybercriminals employed social engineering tactics, which basically means tricking people into giving away access. These hackers linked to a group known as Scattered Spider, notorious for targeting insurance firms and using social tricks or threats of violence to get what they want.

In the broader scene, this isn’t unique — other insurance firms like Erie Insurance and Philadelphia Insurance have also fallen victim recently. The hackers are mostly motivated by money and have previously hit tech giants, casinos, hotels, and even retail sectors in the U.S. and U.K.

Despite the breach, Aflac’s systems weren’t encrusted with ransomware. Their spokesperson chose not to comment further when asked by TechCrunch. With around 50 million customers, they’re now part of the growing list of insurance companies facing cyber threats in recent weeks.

Cyber experts like John Hultquist from Google’s threat unit pointed out that the attackers seem to have links to a loose collective called Scattered Spider. These groups are very active, using social engineering to infiltrate systems, and have been connected to multiple recent intrusions and data breaches.

As this story unfolds, it’s a reminder of how vital cybersecurity is — especially for industries holding huge amounts of personal data. Stay tuned for updates, people!