Dear Friends,
Thank you for your continued support of Lutheran Services Carolinas (LSC) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We are so grateful for friends like you who have been by our side during some of the most difficult times that we have faced dealing with the impact of the pandemic on all our communities. We are thankful for your prayers and financial support throughout this difficult time.
Because of our relationship, I wanted to share with you an incident regarding Blackbaud. First, let me assure you that your confidential data was not breached. Blackbaud, the software vendor used by LSC and many other non-profit organizations across the country suffered a security breach. Blackbaud provides data and fundraising management services to LSC.
On July 16, 2020, Blackbaud notified us it discovered and stopped a ransomware attack in May 2020 (blackbaud.com/securityincident). After discovering the attack, Blackbaud — together with forensics experts and law enforcement — expelled the cybercriminals from its system. Prior to their expulsion, the cybercriminals did, however, remove a copy of a subset of data. LSC was among several of their clients who had some non-confidential constituent data removed from Blackbaud’s system. This data may have included name, postal address, email address, phone number, and demographic data.
Blackbaud has stated that the cybercriminals did not gain access to any credit card information or bank account information. They have also assured us that they have no reason to believe any data was misused or will be disseminated or otherwise made available publicly. LSC is working to verify that Blackbaud is taking all corrective measures necessary and is taking steps to prevent future security incidents.
This security incident does not qualify as a data breach requiring notification to you under U.S. law. However, because LSC values and respects the privacy of your information, we want to be transparent and let you know of this situation. If you detect any suspicious activity or attempts at identity theft, you should promptly notify the proper law enforcement authorities.
We deeply regret that this incident took place, but it seems to be the times in which we are living. If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at (704) 603-1660.
Sincerely,
Rich Duncan, MBA, CFRE
Chief Development Officer