Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, leading a coalition of 19 attorneys general, secured a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE and Elon Musk from accessing Treasury Department payment systems containing sensitive personal data. The court found the Trump Administration illegally granted unauthorized access, exposing Americans' bank account details and Social Security numbers. The order mandates destruction of downloaded materials and restricts access to vetted civil servants.
The temporary restraining order prohibits DOGE personnel and other unauthorized individuals from accessing Treasury payment systems and data containing personally identifiable information. Those with prior access must immediately destroy all downloaded materials. Access is limited to civil servants with proper background checks, security clearances, and information security training.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor, data processing, and government contractor agreements for clauses governing data access, confidentiality, and third-party data sharing. Specific attention is needed for provisions allowing access to sensitive government systems or personally identifiable information (PII). Contracts should be amended to explicitly prohibit unauthorized access by political appointees or unvetted personnel, mandate immediate breach notification for any unauthorized data access or exfiltration, and include robust data destruction requirements for any downloaded materials. Teams should also verify that agreements with government entities incorporate compliance with temporary restraining orders or court-mandated data protection protocols.
Entity
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
Also known as: DOGE
Industry
Other"'Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)'"
"largest data breach in American history"
"unauthorized access to Treasury Department's central payment system, and therefore to Americans' most sensitive personal information, including bank account details and Social Security numbers"
"Connecticut Attorney General William Tong"
"coalition of 19 attorneys general"
"temporary restraining order"
$500K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced settlements with SunRun, Inc., Elevate Solar Solutions, and two salespeople over allegations of deceptive solar sales, including impersonating consumers and locking homeowners into long-term contracts without consent. SunRun must pay $300,000 and provide consumer relief; Elevate and the salespeople face a stated $200,000 penalty, with $100,000 suspended subject to ongoing compliance.
$8.0M
Connecticut announced an $8 million settlement with Mylan over allegations that it used agreements to delay generic EpiPen competitors and took other actions that inflated prices. Mylan also agreed to provide 10,000 free EpiPens; the release states that Mylan denies wrongdoing.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief challenging DHS’s policy and practice of conducting warrantless civil immigration arrests. The press release describes a court challenge, not a privacy enforcement action or monetary penalty.
$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.