Second Circuit’s Decision Upholding Social Engineering Fraud Coverage Likely a Paper Tiger

In a case closely monitored by the insurance industry, the Second Circuit upheld in a non-precedential summary order a New York federal district court’s summary judgment finding coverage under the computer fraud coverage of a commercial crime policy. Medidata Solutions, Inc. v. Fed. Ins. Co., No. 17-2492, 2018 WL 3339245 (2d Cir. 2018). Although the policyholders are apt to tout the decision as a seismic victory, the atypical policy language and factual circumstances should greatly limit its persuasive value. As background, the insured, Medidata… Continue Reading

Fifth Circuit Shops for Implicit Allegations Wrongdoing Against Liquor Store Chain To Avoid Policy Exclusion

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Spec’s Family Partners, Ltd. v. Hanover Insurance Co. (No. 17-20263, Jun. 25, 2018), afforded a contractual liability exclusion a narrow interpretation to deny an insurer judgment in its favor.  The coverage litigation resulted from Hanover Insurance Company’s (Insurer) refusal to pay Spec’s Family Partners’ (Spec’s) litigation costs in connection with a payment card industry (PCI) liability dispute between Spec’s and First Data Merchant Services, LLC (First Data) following a data breach. The Spec’s credit card network had been… Continue Reading

Eleventh Circuit Vacates FTC Order against LabMD as Lacking Specificity Necessary to Protect Due Process Rights

The Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has overturned an FTC cease and desist order enjoining LabMD to install a reasonable data-security program, issued in response to the disclosure of a single computer file containing personal information regarding 9,300 customers. Agreeing with arguments from the now-defunct LabMD, the court determined “that the order is unenforceable because it does not direct LabMD to cease committing an unfair act or practice within the meaning of Section 5(a)” of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. §… Continue Reading

No More Chits to Call In: Computer Crime Policy Does Not Cover Fraudulent Transaction

In Interactive Communications International, Inc. v. Great American Insurance Company, a lawsuit closely monitored by those in the cyberinsurance space, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a Georgia federal court’s decision, finding an insurance policy’s “Computer Fraud” coverage did not extend to certain losses caused by fraudsters. The decision comports with other recent decisions finding that social engineering fraud schemes do not satisfy the policy’s requirement of losses resulting directly from the use of a computer. Here, the devil was in the details. InComm operated a… Continue Reading

FTC Settles False Representation Claim Against Mobile Phone Manufacturer

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has settled with BLU Products, Inc. over allegations that the unlocked mobile phone manufacturer allowed a third-party provider to collect detailed personal information about its consumers without their knowledge or consent. In 2016, BLU Products admitted that a third-party app called “Wireless Update” has been “collecting unauthorized personal data in the form of text messages, call logs and contacts from customers” on some devices. The FTC alleged that BLU Products, its co-owner, and president falsely claimed that only information needed… Continue Reading

Despite Recent High-Profile Dismissals, Wendy’s Shareholders Try Again with Cybersecurity-Related Derivative Lawsuit

The resilient plaintiff’s bar is not backing down from their quest to hold directors and officers personally liable for corporate misconduct that leads to cybersecurity breaches. Taking guidance from the failures which resulted in a string of dismissals of high-profile cybersecurity-related shareholder derivative lawsuits, a shareholder of the fast food-chain The Wendy’s Company is taking another shot to impose liability on corporate leadership for failing to take precautions against cyber-attacks. To be clear, these derivative cases are trying to hold the directors and officers liable… Continue Reading

Plaintiffs’ Monitoring Activity to Mitigate Increased Risk of Identity Theft Sufficient for Article III Standing in the Sixth Circuit

The Sixth Circuit, in a 2-1 majority decision, has reinstated a class action lawsuit against Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, finding that the plaintiffs’ alleged “imminent, immediate and continuing increased risk” of identify fraud after hackers accessed personal data on Nationwide’s servers constituted a “cognizable injury” under Article III. The court’s unpublished decision cited a range of alleged damages from the plaintiffs’ complaint including the time and expense of monitoring their own credit, as well as a study “purporting to show that in 2011 recipients of… Continue Reading

Something to Keep an Eye On: Insurers and Insureds to Duke it Out in Data Breach Coverage Suit

A new Indiana coverage litigation regarding a CGL policy (and umbrella policy) may provide more guidance about how courts will approach data breach coverage under traditional insurance products. In National Fire Insurance Company of Hartford v. Medical Informatics Engineering, Inc. et al. (N.D. Ind., No. 16-cv-152), two CNA companies initiated a declaratory judgment action seeking a ruling they do not have the duty to defend or indemnify Medical Informatics Engineering, Inc. or NoMoreClipboard, LLC (collectively Medical Informatics) in relation to lawsuits filed against Medical Informatics. … Continue Reading

Recent Class Action Settlements By Target & Adobe

Adobe’s impending settlement in a class action comes just a month after Target settled claims for $10 million.  Although confirmatory discovery is ongoing according to Law360, Adobe and the named class members are expected to present their settlement proposal to District Judge Lucy Koh by the end of May.  Last year, both Adobe and Target lost motions to dismiss that challenged the plaintiffs’ Article III standing based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2012 decision in Clapper v. Amnesty International USA.  This may have been… Continue Reading

Target to Change Security Policies and Pay $10 Million to Settle Data Breach Lawsuit

U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson has indicated that he will grant preliminary approval of a 97-page settlement agreement between Target and class-action plaintiffs.  Under the settlement, Target will pay $10 million to compensate injured customers, with court documents suggesting as much as $10,000 for a victim. In total, 42 million shoppers had their credit or debit information stolen, and 61 million had personal data stolen from November 27 through December 18, 2013. The settlement also requires Target to change its security policies within 10… Continue Reading