FCC Imposes $1.5 Million Penalty on Comcast Following Data Breach

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

The Federal Communications Commission has levied a $1.5 million fine on Comcast after a security breach linked to a third-party vendor compromised sensitive data of over 237,000 former and current customers, the agency announced on Monday.

The breach originated from Financial Business and Consumer Solutions (FBCS), a debt collection firm associated with Comcast until 2022. The company experienced a data breach in 2024 that exposed personal information of customers using Comcast's internet, television, and home security services.

Adding to the complexity, FBCS had already undergone bankruptcy proceedings prior to the public revelation of the breach in August 2024. This scenario hampered the company's response, prompting regulatory scrutiny on Comcast’s vendor management processes.

In response to the settlement, Comcast will enact a new compliance strategy aimed at bolstering oversight of third-party service providers managing customer data. This plan encompasses enhanced monitoring, security protocols, and stricter documentation guidelines.

Comcast clarified that its systems remained unaffected by the breach, attributing the failure solely to the vendor's inadequacies. The company emphasized that FBCS was obligated to adhere to its security policies but still fell short in safeguarding the compromised data.