437,329 Americans Hit by Massive Data Breach – Customer’s Names, Addresses, Social Security Numbers, Medical Records and More at Risk
A major private healthcare system in the United States has recently experienced a security breach, resulting in the exposure of personal information belonging to hundreds of thousands of Americans. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights has issued a bulletin confirming the breach at Ascension, a healthcare company based in Missouri. The breach, categorized as a “hacking/IT” incident, has impacted a total of 437,329 individuals.
In a letter addressed to affected clients, Ascension disclosed that the breach occurred due to the inadvertent disclosure of information to a former third-party business partner. It is believed that the information was compromised as a result of a software vulnerability. The exposed data includes clients’ names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, race, gender, and Social Security numbers (SSN). Additionally, clinical information related to inpatient visits, such as place of service, physician name, admission and discharge dates, diagnosis and billing codes, medical record numbers, and insurance company name, may have been accessed by unauthorized parties.
Although Ascension has not confirmed whether the stolen information has been misused, the company is taking proactive measures to address the situation. They are offering affected individuals two years of complimentary identity monitoring services and advising them to remain vigilant against potential fraud. Ascension urges clients to regularly review their account statements, monitor their credit reports for any suspicious activity, and take steps to protect their personal information.
As the investigation into the breach continues, Ascension is committed to keeping clients informed and providing support to mitigate any potential risks associated with the incident. The company’s dedication to cybersecurity and protecting the privacy of its clients remains a top priority as they work towards resolving the breach and enhancing their security measures to prevent future incidents.
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