Blackbaud avoids fine in FTC deal requiring data deletion

Software company Blackbaud will be required to delete unnecessary data and boost cybersecurity as part of a proposed settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stemming from a 2020 data breach.

The company’s poor data security allowed cybercriminals to steal sensitive data, including Social Security and bank account numbers, the FTC said in a press release Thursday.

In October, Blackbaud agreed to pay $49.5 million in a multistate settlement stemming from the data breach, about which the company allegedly failed to notify customers for two months. The company avoided further monetary penalties in reaching a settlement with the FTC but must abide by certain compliance undertakings as part of a proposed order.