LAPD Data Breach: Thousands of Confidential Police Records Exposed in City Attorney Cyberattack
Massive Data Breach Exposes LAPD Personnel Records in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES – Authorities are investigating a significant data breach that has compromised nearly 337,000 files from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) amid concerns over sensitive information surfacing online. This incident involves a third-party digital storage system utilized by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for transferring legal discovery.
The breach, which occurred on March 20, involves 7.7 terabytes of data, including unredacted LAPD personnel files, internal affairs investigations, and private witness health information. Investigators are actively assessing the breach’s full extent and identifying those affected to ensure they receive appropriate legal notifications.
Ivor Pine, deputy director of communications for City Attorney Hydee Feldstein-Soto, confirmed that the office has enlisted external forensic support and legal counsel to conduct a thorough investigation. The LAPD has acknowledged that the compromised files encompass records related to settled civil litigation, as well as sensitive personnel documents.
Despite the breach being confined to a specific application, officials are working diligently to understand its implications. Current investigations aim to uncover the identities of those who accessed the system without authorization. While city officials maintain that the application was "self-contained" and did not link to broader department networks, the precise number of individuals whose personal or health information was exposed remains undetermined. Additionally, it is unclear how long the data was available before a security researcher detected the vulnerability.
"After learning of the incident, our office took immediate steps to secure the tool and investigate what information was accessed," Pine stated, emphasizing that the information was contained within the application and did not extend to other department systems.
The LAPD has also released a statement indicating their commitment to safeguarding sensitive personnel and investigative data. They are collaborating with the City Attorney’s Office to better understand the impacted files and the extent of the breach.
As the investigation continues, the City Attorney’s Office is focused on determining the specifics of the information compromised. Upon completing their review, the office will take necessary steps to notify affected individuals based on the findings of their assessment.
