DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital notifies 32,000 patients after employee’s email account was accessed without authorization.

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Dissent

The University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital takes seriously the privacy and confidentiality of our patients’ information. Regrettably, this notice is regarding an incident involving some of that information. 


We are notifying individuals potentially affected by a recent data security incident in which, for a brief period of time, an employee’s email account was remotely accessed by an unauthorized user. We completed an initial 60-day investigation of the incident and have no evidence of any fraud or identity theft to any individual as a result of this incident. 

The incident, which occurred on October 9, 2018, was limited to one employee’s email account and did not involve the hospital’s computer networks or electronic medical records, nor did it involve the email or information technology systems at any of the Network’s other affiliates.

Upon learning of the incident on October 18, 2018, we immediately took action, including changing passwords, implementing enhanced security features and engaging a leading forensic security firm to assist with the investigation. 

We are very sorry this has happened. We take seriously our responsibility to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the personal information of our patients and employees. To help prevent something like this from happening in the future, we have taken organization-wide steps to enhance the security of our email system, and we are reinforcing education with our staff to assure protection of patients’ information. 

Although the hospital has no evidence that any personal information was viewed or used by an unauthorized party, as part of the investigation, we searched for any personal information in the email account that may have been viewed.  We determined that the email account contained individuals’ personal information, including some individuals’ names, dates of birth, addresses and limited medical information; primarily information associated with billing such as medical record numbers, dates of service and a brief summary of services provided.  The account also contained the Social Security numbers of some individuals.  


We are notifying the 32,000 potentially-affected individuals. The notification will include information on steps individuals can take to protect themselves against potential fraud or identity theft. The 1,200 individuals whose Social Security numbers were included in the email account will be offered free credit and identity theft monitoring services.

We have also set up a dedicated call center for patients and others.
While we haven’t determined that any individual record was accessed, we are taking a broad approach in notifying anyone who could possibly be affected by this incident so they can take proactive measures to protect their information. Through our ongoing investigation, it’s possible that we’ll find that fewer individuals were affected.

If additional information becomes available, it will be posted on this website.   Concerned individuals can also reach our call center at 1-877-845-7516 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

Source: Elizabethtown Community Hospital

h/t, “Russy”

Category: HackHealth DataU.S.

Post navigation

← How To Protect Healthcare Records In A Zero Trust World
MO: Use BJC’s patient portal to pay your bills? Company announces possible malware breach. →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Rewards for Justice offers $10M reward for info on RedLine developer or RedLine’s use by foreign governments
  • New evidence links long-running hacking group to Indian government
  • Zaporizhzhia Cyber ​​Police Exposes Hacker Who Caused Millions in Losses to Victims by Mining Cryptocurrency
  • Germany fines Vodafone $51 million for privacy, security breaches
  • Google: Hackers target Salesforce accounts in data extortion attacks
  • The US Grid Attack Looming on the Horizon
  • US govt login portal could be one cyberattack away from collapse, say auditors
  • Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Computer Hacking Crimes
  • 100,000 UK taxpayer accounts hit in £47m phishing attack on HMRC
  • CISA Alert: Updated Guidance on Play Ransomware

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • How the FBI Sought a Warrant to Search Instagram of Columbia Student Protesters
  • Germany fines Vodafone $51 million for privacy, security breaches
  • Malaysia enacts data sharing rules for public sector
  • U.S. Enacts Take It Down Act
  • 23andMe Bankruptcy Judge Ponders Trump Bill’s Injunction Impact
  • Hell No: The ODNI Wants to Make it Easier for the Government to Buy Your Data Without Warrant
  • US State Dept. says silence or anonymity on social media is suspicious

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.