It’s the largest health care breach to date. But the hackers who broke into the computers at Anthem Health Care were smart. They avoided taking information on credit cards or medical records.
Anthem has customers in 14 states and is the second largest health insurance company in the United States. As many as 80 million clients were affected in last week’s cyber attack, USA Today reports.
“Anthem was the target of a very sophisticated external cyber attack,” Anthem president and CEO Joseph Swedish said in a statement posted on a website the company has created to address the incident. Members can access information about the breach at the site. There is also a toll-free number for current and former members to call: 877-263-7995.
The hackers retrieved information on current and former patients and their families, employees and others. Data included names, birthdays, medical IDs, social security numbers, street addresses, email addresses and employment information, including income data, Swedish said.
“Anthem’s own associates’ personal information – including my own – was accessed during this security breach,” Swedish said. “We join in your concern and frustration and I assure you that we are working around the clock to do everything we can to further secure your data.”
Anthem had already discovered the breach last week, which computer security company Mandiant, owned by FireEye, said was “very good news, as two-thirds of the time when we respond, the victim was notified by someone else.”
The FBI has been notified and is working together with Mandiant and Anthem, Swedish said.
Clients whose believe their information has been hacked should report possible identity theft to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, FBI spokesman Joshua Campbell said.