The safeguarding of our
customers’ personal information is of the highest importance to Consolidated
Communications. We do not sell, rent or disclose personally identifiable
information to any third party for any reason that is not directly related to
providing products and services, except as required by applicable law or
specifically allowed in our privacy policy.
Occasionally, we will
use personally identifiable information to offer a customer new products and
services; however, customers can opt out at any time.
As a data privacy
champion, Consolidated Communications provides ongoing consumer education on
how to protect their personal data and, more broadly, how to keep themselves
and their families safe online. Consolidated recognizes and supports the
principle that all organizations share the responsibility of being
conscientious stewards of personal information and has undertaken significant
efforts to educate our customers, employees, and communities on safe online
practices. Consolidated maintains and regularly updates actionable tips on
online safety and data privacy practices at
consolidated.com/staysafeonline.
More information on our
Customer Privacy Policy is available at
consolidated.com/privacy.
Internally, Consolidated
Communications employees are kept abreast of the latest cybersecurity risks and
threats and are regularly provided with educational content and information to
minimize risks to our network and business systems.
Network Security
We take cybersecurity
very seriously and are constantly monitoring and taking proactive steps to
ensure the safety of our networks. Consolidated continuously strives to
implement world-class security and risk management programs to protect our
data, people, brand and share- holders, and maintain security processes and
industry accepted standards and best practices that protect our customers,
products and data. We are a trusted partner with a risk-based focus to support
business growth while consistently exceeding our customers’ needs and
expectations.
Business and personal
interaction in the world today has become increasingly reliant upon the
delivery of data of all types across telecommunications carrier networks and
Consolidated recognizes the need for these networks to be as protected and
reliable as possible. Consolidated management takes a vigilant approach to
identifying and addressing data security risks through its Information Security
Risk Management and Governance programs. These programs include supply chain
and vendor risk management activities, software component analysis, and
business impact analysis.
Additionally,
Consolidated has a comprehensive cybersecurity program which includes active
monitoring and detection along with detailed triage and response plans that
outline the steps necessary to investigate, identify and mitigate cyber
security risks. As part of its cyber security risk mitigation approach,
Consolidated carries Cyber Security Insurance, and senior leadership briefs the
board of directors on information security matters on a quarterly basis.
Biennially, we are assessed by the Department of Homeland Security against
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-53 controls and in
2022, Consolidated rolled out a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness program
to educate employees as to the cyber risks related to the technology with which
our employees interface.
Over the last three
years, Consolidated has not incurred any expenses related to data breach
penalties or settlements, and in 2022, Consolidated had no data security
breaches or network intrusions which resulted in the loss or theft of customer
personal information or internal company data.
As online activities and
connected devices increase, legitimate concerns about data security, scams and
identity theft are also increasing among consumers. Consolidated proactively
monitors network traffic and uses industry trusted best practices, tools,
software and systems to keep our customers safe. We hold our role in keeping
our customers and communities informed of online and data safety practices with
high regard and importance. More information is available at
consolidated.com/staysafeonline.