Breach, Data Security, Vulnerability Management

Technical error compromises information for storage company customers

While accessing lease information, a customer of international self-storage company Public Storage was able to view the leases of hundreds of other customers, subsequently compromising their personal data.

How many victims? 745.

What type of personal information? Names, addresses and driver's license numbers, among other information.

What happened? Due to a technical error, a Public Storage customer was accessing their lease documents and was able to access lease information on hundreds of other Public Storage customers.

What was the response? Public Storage immediately reviewed the incident and corrected the problem by securing the availability of leases so only the tenant can download their lease documents. Letters have been sent out to affected customers. The company is monitoring processes to ensure this type of incident does not happen again.

Details: The incident occurred earlier in September. 

Quote: “Although we believe that this customer did not make any use of your information, because the information left our office environment in violation of our policies and procedures, we are providing you this notice out of an excess of caution,” said Brent Peterson, Public Storage chief information officer, in the letter. “We regret any inconvenience caused by this incident.”

Source: oag.state.md.us, “Public Storage (PDF),” Sept. 18, 2013.

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