A cyberattack on Rhode Island’s health benefits website has resulted in a leak of personal data, according to Governor Daniel McKee. The breach affected state health and benefits programs, including Medicaid and SNAP, and potentially impacted thousands of residents.
The hacker released files to a dark web site, but it is unclear if all the stolen data has been posted online. IT teams are working to analyze the released files and determine the scope of the data breach. Deloitte, the company that built and maintains RIBridges, has contacted the hackers and is helping the state identify affected individuals.
To protect their information, Rhode Islanders are urged to take steps such as freezing their credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, ordering a free credit report, and requesting a fraud alert on their credit files. Residents should also use multi-factor authentication and be cautious of fake emails, phone calls, or texts that may appear legitimate.
Law enforcement is investigating the breach, but it is considered challenging to apprehend those responsible due to the nature of cybercrime. The state has an outreach strategy in place to inform potentially impacted residents about the breach and provide guidance on protecting their personal information.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/cybersecurity-breach-data-rhode-island-e4a7298010d59fe6cb095a436f912a5d