Miami Beach Alerts Residents to Data Breach from Docs Exposure

The City of Miami Beach disclosed a security incident that exposed personal information from some of its utility customers. The breach was due to an inadvertent file exposure in the city's document management system, making sensitive data briefly accessible to unauthorized users.

The breach was first detected on October 14, 2024, after the initial exposure on September 3, 2024, so it lasted for about one and a half months. While Miami Beach officials have not identified any misuse of the data, they issued a notification out of caution, alerting potentially affected individuals and offering identity theft protection.

Miami Beach, a major city known for its tourism and cultural significance in Florida, serves a population of about 80,000 residents and numerous visitors year-round. Miami Beach's government says it prioritizes data privacy, but encountered this breach due to an unintentional misplacement of data files.

The affected information, as outlined in the public notification, may include names and other identifiers that could expose individuals to identity theft. In response, the city acted quickly to remove the file, secured the system, and initiated an investigation. As a precaution, Miami Beach is providing 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection through Cyberscout, a service affiliated with TransUnion, advising affected individuals to remain vigilant and monitor financial accounts for suspicious activity.

The notice can be downloaded from this link.

Recommendations for affected individuals

For residents concerned about their data, Miami Beach recommends the following actions:

• Enroll in credit monitoring through Cyberscout (available for 12 months).
• Place fraud alerts or freezes with credit bureaus to help prevent unauthorized access.
• Review credit reports and financial statements for any anomalies or errors.
• If fraud or identity theft is detected, contact law enforcement, the Federal Trade Commission, and relevant state authorities.

This incident underscores the importance of robust data security practices in government entities, especially those serving a high-traffic city like Miami Beach. As the investigation continues, the city is committed to enhancing its security protocols to prevent future incidents.