Data Breach Affecting Over 134,000 People: Warning from Massachusetts Health Officials – Boston 25 News

Massachusetts Health Officials Issue Warning Over Data Breach

Health officials in Massachusetts issued an alert on Tuesday, warning residents of a “global security incident” that compromised the personal information of over 134,000 individuals. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) clarified that UMass Chan Medical School has begun notifying individuals enrolled in certain state programs about the breach.

Data Breach Linked to MOVEit Software Vulnerability

The incident is part of a worldwide data security issue involving a file-transfer software program called MOVEit. The software vulnerability, which was disclosed on May 31, affected state and federal government agencies, financial services firms, pension funds, and numerous other companies and non-profit organizations. Thomas Koenig, a senior media strategist for Goldin Solutions, confirmed in an email to Boston 25 that MOVEit had deployed a patch the same day the vulnerability was discovered.

Despite the widespread impact, no UMass Chan or state systems were compromised in the incident. The affected individuals have been notified by mail and will also be contacted via phone, text, and email.

Steps to Protect Personal Information

Authorities have advised individuals who receive a notice to take proactive measures to safeguard their information. This includes monitoring their financial account statements and enrolling in free credit monitoring and identity theft protection. They are also encouraged to remain vigilant by regularly reviewing their financial account statements. If unauthorized charges or activities are detected, individuals are advised to immediately contact their financial institutions.

Details of the Breach

UMass Chan provides services to the EOHHS, including MassHealth, the State Supplement Program, Family Resource Centers, the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, and Aging Services Access Points. The affected individuals are mostly current or recent participants of these programs.

The information involved in the data breach varied per individual and included names, dates of birth, mailing addresses, protected health information, Social Security numbers, and financial account information.

Response to the Breach

Upon learning about the MOVEit vulnerability on June 1, UMass Chan acted swiftly to fix the issue. They reached out to law enforcement, launched an investigation, and identified the affected individuals. By July 27, UMass Chan confirmed that some files contained information related to individuals who received services from the EOHHS.

UMass Chan is also offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to affected individuals whose Social Security numbers or financial information were compromised. For more information, visit [mass.gov/MOVEitIncident](http://mass.gov/MOVEitIncident) or [umassmed.edu](http://umassmed.edu/). For further inquiries, individuals can call 855-862-7769, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Original Story at www.boston25news.com – 2023-08-16 10:11:30