Closed
Artech Data Security Settlement
The claim window closed on February 26, 2022, shortly after final approval on February 10, 2022. Cash payments and credit monitoring enrollment were administered through 2022.
Case record
- Case
- Poling, et al. v. Artech, L.L.C.
- Case no.
- 3:20-cv-07630-LB
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division
- Defendant
- Artech, L.L.C.
- Administrator
- KCC Class Action Services
The case
What this settlement was about
Between January 5 and January 8, 2020, unauthorized third parties accessed information systems at Artech, one of the largest IT staffing companies in the U.S., while staging a planned ransomware attack. The affected systems held files with names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth for roughly 30,720 current and former Artech employees.
Artech's IT staff detected the intrusion on January 8 and shut down all systems within six hours, rebuilding critical systems from clean backups, cutting off the attackers before the ransomware was deployed. Forensic analysis found no evidence the files were actually opened or downloaded, but they had been accessible to the intruders.
Artech settled the resulting class action with a claims-made structure: cash compensation for lost time and documented losses, plus three years of Kroll credit monitoring paid by Artech for all participating class members.
The class
Who was covered
All U.S. residents (and U.S. military members stationed overseas) who were sent Artech's notice of the cyber security event or whose names appeared on the settlement class list, roughly 30,720 current and former Artech employees.
- What class members could receiveUp to $80 for lost time (3 hours at $26.67/hour), up to $10,000 in documented out-of-pocket losses from identity theft or fraud traceable to the incident, and three years of Kroll credit monitoring, a maximum individual recovery of $10,080 plus monitoring.
- Proof requirementClaims required supporting documentation.
- Claim deadlinePassed on Feb 26, 2022. New claims are no longer accepted.
Docket timeline
How the settlement unfolded
- January 5–8, 2020Network intrusion
Attackers staged a ransomware attack; Artech shut down all systems within six hours of detection.
- October 2020Class action filed
Brigid Poling and Dwight Jenkins sued Artech in the Northern District of California.
- January 7, 2022Exclusion and objection deadline
Opting out carried a warning that Artech retained all defenses, including arbitration provisions.
- February 10, 2022Final approval
Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler approved the settlement at the fairness hearing.
- February 26, 2022Claim deadline
Claims had to be postmarked or submitted online by this date.
- 2022Benefits administered
Cash payments went out and credit monitoring enrollment ran through roughly May 2022.
Questions people still ask
Frequently asked questions
Can I still file an Artech settlement claim?
No. Claims had to be submitted by February 26, 2022, and the settlement received final approval on February 10, 2022. The claims process is closed.
How much did the Artech settlement pay?
Class members could claim up to $80 for lost time and up to $10,000 in documented losses from identity theft or fraud, a maximum of $10,080, plus three years of Kroll credit monitoring paid by Artech.
Was employee data actually stolen?
Third-party forensic analysis found no evidence that files containing personal information were opened, accessed, or downloaded. Artech settled because the files had nonetheless been accessible to the intruders during the three-day event.
Who was in the Artech settlement class?
Artech's own workforce, about 30,720 current and former employees of the IT staffing company, not customers. Affected systems held names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth.
How did Artech stop the attack?
IT staff detected the intrusion on January 8, 2020 and shut down all information systems within six hours, rebuilding critical systems from clean backups. That cut off the attackers before their planned ransomware was deployed.
Sources for this record
Official site artechdatasecuritysettlement.com has been retired. Record preserved by TapClaim.
