A major data breach at Connecticut's Community Health Center (CHC) has exposed the sensitive medical records of over 1 million Americans, raising serious privacy concerns for current and former patients.
A major data security incident at Connecticut-based Community Health Center has exposed sensitive medical records and personal information of over one million patients, according to a recent filing with the Maine Attorney General's office. CHC has confirmed that 1,060,936 patients are affected by the October 14, 2024 cyber attack, where hackers infiltrated the organization's computer systems. The stolen data includes highly sensitive information such as names, birth dates, addresses, Social Security numbers, medical diagnoses, treatment details, and health insurance records.
The breach particularly impacts individuals who received COVID-19 tests or vaccines at CHC clinics. While the organization claims it detected and stopped the unauthorized access within hours, cybersecurity experts warn that the compromised personal information could be sold on the dark web or used for identity theft.
In response to the incident, CHC has implemented additional security monitoring software and is offering affected patients free access to credit monitoring services through IDX. Murphy Law Firm is currently investigating the possibility of a class action lawsuit against CHC over the data breach.
This incident follows a concerning trend in healthcare cybersecurity. The HIPPA journal reports that an average of 16.4 million medical records were breached monthly in 2024. Earlier this year, Change Healthcare suffered an even larger breach affecting approximately 100 million Americans, highlighting the growing vulnerability of healthcare systems to cyber attacks.
Industry experts and government officials have criticized the healthcare sector's cybersecurity practices. Senator Mark Warner noted that "the healthcare industry has some of the worst cybersecurity practices in the nation, despite its critical importance to Americans' well-being and privacy."
Affected patients are advised to monitor their credit reports and watch for signs of identity theft. CHC continues to investigate the incident and has stated there is currently no evidence of data misuse.