– Phishing attack on L.A. County public health agency
– Personal information of 200,000-plus residents compromised.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : The personal information of over 200,000 individuals in Los Angeles County may have been compromised in a phishing attack that occurred in February. The breach was initiated when a hacker successfully obtained the login credentials of 53 employees working in the public health sector, revealed the county authorities on Friday.
The data breach, which took place between February 19 and 20, resulted in the potential exposure of sensitive information including names, dates of birth, diagnoses, prescription details, medical record numbers, health insurance information, Social Security numbers, and other financial data of clients, employees, and other individuals associated with the Department of Public Health. The agency stated that not all individuals were impacted in the same way, and some may not have had all the aforementioned details compromised.
In response to the breach, the Department of Public Health is taking steps to notify those affected and is offering free identity monitoring services through Kroll, a financial and risk advisory firm. Individuals are advised to review their medical records with their healthcare providers to ensure accuracy and should scrutinize their insurance Explanation of Benefits statements for any unfamiliar services.
Furthermore, affected individuals are encouraged to request and review their credit reports for any discrepancies and consider placing a credit freeze on their files to prevent unauthorized use of their Social Security numbers. This can be done for free and provides an added layer of security against identity theft.
The agency has disabled the compromised email accounts, reset devices, blocked identified phishing websites, and implemented measures to quarantine suspicious emails as part of their response efforts. However, details about the phishing email that initiated the breach have not been disclosed.
For individuals seeking more information about the breach or concerned about their data being compromised, a dedicated hotline has been established at (866) 898-4312, operating from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is advised that anyone who believes they may have been affected should reach out to this number for assistance.
The Department of Public Health continues to investigate the incident and is working to safeguard against future breaches. The agency is committed to ensuring the security and privacy of the individuals whose information may have been exposed.
Please note that this article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times..
Phishing attack L.A. County public health agency jeopardizing residents personal info
Phishing attack hits L.A. County public health agency, 200,000-plus residents personal info at risk.
