Cognizant Reveals April Data Breach, Offers $1M Identity Theft Coverage

Cognizant has begun notifying customers about a data breach that exposed personal information, including Social Security numbers, and is offering two years of identity protection backed by a $1 million insurance policy. The breach occurred on April 21, but was only disclosed to Massachusetts regulators on August 18. The four-month delay between the attack and regulatory filing stems from an investigation process, though the company's letter frames the notification as precautionary. Ransomware group CoinbaseCartel claimed responsibility on April 15, before Cognizant's confirmed breach date, and no ransom amount or payment status has been confirmed. The $1 million figure is a reimbursement ceiling for identity theft recovery costs, not a lump sum paid to every affected customer. Cognizant recommends filing a police report, placing credit freezes, and enrolling in the IDX protection service using details from individual notification letters.