If you haven’t heard about the Conduent data breach yet, pay attention — security experts are calling it potentially the largest data breach in U.S. history.
The Texas Attorney General’s office confirmed that Conduent Business Services — a company that handles back-office work, printing, and mailroom services for major corporations — was hit by a cyberattack. According to the Oregon Department of Justice, which is tracking the numbers, more than 10 million people have already been affected, and experts say that number is still growing.
You may not recognize the Conduent name, but there’s a good chance they’ve handled your data without you knowing it. They process information on behalf of companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and dozens of other large organizations.
What Happened
Hackers had access to Conduent’s systems from October 21, 2024 through January 13, 2025 — nearly three months — before the breach was discovered. During that time, sensitive personal information was exposed including:
- Names and home addresses
- Social Security numbers
- Medical data
- Health insurance information
To make things worse, the notification letters being sent to affected individuals don’t even tell you which company hired Conduent — so you may not know where your data originally came from.
If you receive a letter, do not throw it away. It is a legitimate breach notification, not a scam. Free credit monitoring for one year is being offered to those affected, but you must sign up before April 30, 2026. The number to call is 877-332-1658, Monday through Friday, 9am–9pm Eastern.
Why This Matters for Your Business
Here’s the part most news coverage misses: this isn’t just a consumer problem. As a business owner, your employees, your vendors, and potentially your own business data passes through third-party service providers every single day — many of which you’ve never heard of.
Conduent is a perfect example of what security professionals call a supply chain attack. You didn’t do anything wrong. Your employees didn’t click a phishing link. But a company handling your data in the background got breached, and now millions of people are dealing with the fallout.
The question isn’t whether your business works with third-party vendors. Of course it does — everyone does. The question is: do you know what would happen if one of them got hit?
5 Things You Should Do Right Now
1. Freeze your credit if you haven’t already. All three bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — allow free credit freezes. This prevents anyone from opening new accounts in your name, even if they have your Social Security number.
2. Set up fraud alerts. A fraud alert requires creditors to verify your identity before opening new accounts. You only need to contact one bureau — they’re required to notify the others.
3. Review your bank and credit card statements. Look for anything unusual, even small charges. Fraudsters often test stolen card numbers with small transactions before making bigger purchases.
4. Watch for phishing attempts. After a breach like this, scammers immediately start sending emails and making calls pretending to be related to the breach. Be suspicious of any unsolicited contact asking you to click a link or confirm personal information.
5. Talk to your IT provider about your vendor exposure. Do you know which third-party services have access to your business data? Do you have monitoring in place to detect unusual activity? If you’re not sure, that’s worth a conversation.
The Bigger Picture for Minnesota Small Businesses
We work with small businesses across Wright County, Hennepin County, and surrounding areas every day, and the most common thing we hear after a breach or a cyberattack is: “I didn’t think we were big enough to be a target.”
The Conduent breach proves that you don’t even have to be targeted directly. You just have to be connected to someone who is.
Managed IT isn’t just about keeping your computers running. It’s about knowing what’s connected to your network, what data you’re sharing and with whom, and having someone watching for the signs of a problem before it becomes a crisis.
If you have questions about what your business can do to reduce exposure, we’re happy to take a look — no sales pitch, just a straight conversation about where you stand.
📞 Call us at 612-404-0311
🌐 Or reach us through our website — we serve Rockford, Delano, Buffalo, Maple Grove, Plymouth, and surrounding areas.
Source: WRDW/WAGT — Conduent data breach could be largest in U.S. history (Feb. 20, 2026)