In a significant intrusion, hackers targeted the Rhode Island benefits system. Personal information may soon be made public
According to Governor Daniel McKee, a significant hack that targeted the state’s online system for providing health and human services benefits might expose the personal information of numerous Rhode Islanders as early as this coming week.
Officials stated without providing further details that the hackers were requesting a ransom.
In order to safeguard their personal information, which may include names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and specific banking details, the state recommended Rhode Islanders take precautions.
McKee stated on Saturday that anyone who has participated in Medicaid, the At HOME Cost Share Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Childcare Assistance Program, Rhode Island Works, Long-term Services and Supports, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, or health insurance purchased through HealthSource RI may be affected.
After the state was notified by its vendor, Deloitte, that there was a significant security risk to the system, the RIBridges system was taken offline on Friday. “There is a high probability that a cybercriminal has obtained files with personally identifiable information from RIBridges,” the vendor acknowledged, according to the state.
To provide Rhode Islanders with information regarding the incident, the state has partnered with Experian to provide a toll-free hotline.
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