# Houston Utility Provider Confirms Customer Information Compromised

CenterPoint Energy, a Houston-based electric and gas provider serving 7 million customers across Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas, filed a regulatory notice this week confirming that hackers obtained customer personal information from one of its external systems. The disclosure came after the company became aware of a dark web post this month claiming to offer stolen data. The company says service delivery has not been disrupted, but the investigation into the scope of affected customers continues.

## What the Company Has Confirmed

CenterPoint Energy filed an 8-K form with the Securities Exchange Commission stating that it became aware of a dark web post this month claiming to offer data stolen from the company. An internal investigation verified that hackers accessed personal information relating to a portion of customers through an external-facing system.

The company has not disclosed which system was compromised or how many customers are affected. A spokesperson declined to answer questions about the cybercriminal post. CenterPoint says it is working with third-party experts to determine the scope and will notify affected customers and regulatory authorities as required by applicable law.


## What the Dark Web Post Alleges

The dark web listing claims that approximately 7.5 million records were stolen. According to the post, the data contained customer names, account information, the last four digits of Social Security numbers and billing information. The company has not confirmed which specific fields were exposed or whether the 7.5 million figure is accurate.

CenterPoint Energy stated in its SEC filing that personal information was obtained but did not specify the exact data types compromised. The company is continuing its investigation to determine the scope of customers and personal information affected by the incident.


## Impact on Service and Operations

CenterPoint Energy stated that the breach has not affected the delivery of electric and gas services. The company reported the incident to law enforcement and expects to incur investigation and response costs, but it does not anticipate a material impact on its finances.

The company reported a net income of $244 million in the second quarter. CenterPoint provides power and natural gas to 7 million customers across Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas.


## Previous Security Incident at the Company

CenterPoint Energy announced an investigation into another data breach related to an incident where hackers stole customer information through a popular file-sharing platform. The source does not specify when that prior investigation was announced or how the two incidents are related beyond both involving customer information theft.

Organizations that experience multiple publicly disclosed breaches face increased scrutiny from regulators and customers. The repeat disclosure suggests ongoing challenges in securing customer data, though the source does not detail the time gap between incidents or whether any corrective measures were implemented after the first breach.


## What the Filing Tells Regulators

The 8-K form is a regulatory requirement for publicly traded companies to disclose material events. CenterPoint Energy filed this form on Monday evening after confirming that hackers had obtained personal information from one of its external systems.

The filing states that the company will incur costs related to the investigation but does not expect a material impact on its finances. CenterPoint will notify affected customers and regulatory authorities as required by applicable law once the investigation determines the full scope.


## Steps for Affected Customers

If you are a CenterPoint Energy customer in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio or Texas, monitor your account statements for unauthorized charges or service changes. The company has not yet identified which customers are affected, so all customers in its service area should remain alert until the investigation concludes.

Because the dark web post claims the data includes partial Social Security numbers, watch for phishing attempts that reference your utility account or recent billing details to appear credible. Do not provide full identity verification over the phone unless you initiated the call to a verified company number. Consider placing a fraud alert with the credit bureaus, which notifies you before a new credit account is opened in your name.
1. Monitor your utility account statements for unauthorized charges or service changes
2. Watch for phishing attempts that reference your utility account or billing details
3. Do not provide full identity verification over the phone unless you initiated the call
4. Consider placing a fraud alert with the credit bureaus if you are concerned about identity theft
5. Wait for direct notification from CenterPoint Energy with specific guidance

## Has CenterPoint Energy confirmed how many customers are affected?

The company has not disclosed the exact number of affected customers. A dark web post claims approximately 7.5 million records were stolen, but CenterPoint Energy is still working with third-party experts to determine the scope. The company says it will notify affected customers and regulatory authorities once the investigation is complete.

## What information was stolen in the CenterPoint Energy breach?

The company confirmed that hackers obtained personal information through an external-facing system. The dark web post claims the data includes customer names, account information, the last four digits of Social Security numbers and billing information, but CenterPoint has not confirmed which specific fields were exposed.

## Will the breach affect my electric or gas service?

CenterPoint Energy stated that the delivery of electric and gas services has not been impacted by the incident. The breach involved customer data systems, not operational technology that controls utility infrastructure.

## What should I do if I am a CenterPoint Energy customer?

Monitor your utility account for unauthorized changes and watch for phishing attempts that reference your billing details. Consider placing a fraud alert with the credit bureaus if you are concerned about identity theft. Wait for notification from the company, which will provide specific guidance once the scope of affected customers is determined.

## Has CenterPoint Energy experienced data breaches before?

The company disclosed another breach related to an incident in which hackers stole customer information through a popular file-sharing platform. The source does not specify when that prior incident occurred or how many breaches the company has experienced in total.

Source: The Record
Published: 2026-09-16T00:27:40+00:00