Blackbaud Security Incident Impacts Nonprofits, including Charleston Animal Society

We were recently notified by our database service provider, Blackbaud Inc., of a global security incident
in May, 2020 that impacted nonprofits across the world.

We understand Blackbaud discovered and stopped a ransomware attack and, Blackbaud’s Cyber Security team together with independent forensics experts and law enforcement, successfully prevented the cybercriminal from blocking Blackbaud’s system and fully encrypting files, ultimately expelling the criminals from their system.

It’s important to note that the cybercriminal did not access any credit card information, bank account information, or social security number that you may have used in connection to a transaction with Charleston Animal Society.

However, Blackbaud has determined that the file that was accessed may have contained your contact information, including name, telephone numbers, email addresses, and mailing addresses; and a history of your relationship with our organization, such as donation dates and amounts. Constituents who started a relationship with Charleston Animal Society since May 2020 are not affected.

Based on the nature of the incident, Blackbaud’s research and law enforcement investigation, Blackbaud does not believe that any data was viewed beyond the cybercriminal, was or will be misused, or will be disseminated or otherwise made available publicly.

Blackbaud has assured us that they have confirmed through testing by multiple third parties, including the appropriate platform vendors, that their fix to this issue withstands all known attack tactics. Charleston Animal Society remains committed to the security of our donor data. You can read our privacy policy here. We continue to work with our external partners, including Blackbaud, to ensure the necessary measures are in place for future security.

Again, no credit card, bank account, or other information of that nature was compromised. Our commitment to donor privacy and transparency required us to notify you. As a best practice, we recommend you remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activity or suspected identity theft to the proper law enforcement authorities such as the Federal Trade Commission, and the Office of the South Carolina Attorney General.

We sincerely apologize for this incident and regret any inconvenience it may cause you. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter and/or the protections available to you, please do not hesitate to contact Charleston Animal Society’s Chief Advancement Officer Sean Hawkins, CAWA, at [email protected].