In January, a cybersecurity attack on a health care data system led to the theft of personal data belonging to 7,091 retired Vermont teachers. The breached data, confirmed by Deputy State Treasurer Gavin Boyles, primarily includes names, birth dates, addresses, and medical and insurance information. Fortunately, social security numbers were untouched. The impacted individuals are part of the Vermont State Teachers’ Retirement System and held supplemental health benefits under Vermont Blue Advantage plans at the time of the data breach.
The software provider, Fortra LLC, which offered the platform for Vermont Blue Advantage to communicate with NationsBenefits, its supplemental benefits administrator, was the locus of the breach. The investigation into the identities of the hackers remains ongoing, with NationsBenefits having reported the incident to law enforcement.
Meanwhile, NationsBenefits is extending a 24-month complimentary identity protection package, including credit monitoring, identity theft resolution, and $1 million in identity theft insurance, to all affected parties. People suspecting misuse of their personal information or victimization through identity theft are encouraged to contact local law enforcement. NationsBenefits, acknowledging its role in the breach, has discontinued using Fortra’s software and is implementing additional security procedures.
Source: vtdigger.org
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