It all started with an email typo. Entering a client’s email address last week, a contractor accidentally swapped @gs.com for @gmail.com, so instead of sending to a Goldman Sachs employee, the message went to a random stranger. Normally, that would just be an embarrassment, but this particular email included private client data, and Goldman Sachs is willing to move heaven and earth to get it back. According to a new report from Reuters, the battle has taken the Wall Street firm to the New York State Supreme Court, pleading with Google to delete the email to prevent a “needless and massive privacy violation,” in the company’s words.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc said a contractor emailed confidential client data to a stranger’s Gmail account by mistake, and the bank has asked a U.S. judge to order Google Inc to delete the email to avert a “needless and massive” breach of privacy. The breach occurred on June 23 and included “highly confidential brokerage account information,” Goldman said in a complaint filed last Friday in a New York state court in Manhattan. Goldman (GS.N) did not say how many clients were affected, and wants Google’s (GOOGL.O) help in tracking down who might have accessed the data. The Wall Street bank also said Google “appears willing to cooperate” if there is a court order. Google, Goldman and Goldman’s law firm did not immediately respond on Wednesday to requests for comment. According to Goldman, the outside contractor had been testing changes to the bank’s internal processes in connection with reporting requirements set forth by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.