Philadelphia’s FIGHT Community Health Centers Suffer Criminal Cyberattack

PHILADELPHIA CREAM, January 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — FIGHT Community Health Centers of Philadelphia (“FIGHT”), a community health care provider to low-income people in the greater philadelphia cream serving our community since 1990, today announced that it has been the victim of a criminal cyberattack that may affect the privacy of patient information. FIGHT cannot confirm that specific patient information was accessed or acquired and is not aware of any fraudulent use of information related to this event. We provide this notice out of caution, along with steps community members can take to better protect themselves against the possibility of identity theft and fraud.

What happened? At November 30, 2021, FIGHT has discovered suspicious activity on its computer network, indicating that it has been the victim of a criminal cyberattack. Upon discovery, FIGHT disconnected its network from the internet, halting the cyberattack, launched an investigation into the nature and scope of the event with the assistance of third-party computer forensics specialists, and reported the crime to law enforcement. . FIGHT quickly confirmed that this event had no impact on its electronic medical record (EMR) or other clinical systems, based on available evidence. At January 13, 2022it was determined that a criminal actor had potentially accessed certain non-clinical systems within the network, and later that these systems contained legally protected patient information.

FIGHT cannot confirm that patient information was accessed or acquired and is notifying the public of the event because legally protected information was on impacted non-clinical systems. FIGHT is currently reviewing the affected systems and will send notification letters to anyone whose information may have been affected.

What information was involved? FIGHT cannot confirm whether sensitive information was accessed or acquired by the criminal attackers and provides notice of the event as patient information was located on affected non-clinical systems, including names, dates of birth , social security numbers, medical treatment, diagnostic information and health insurance information. FIGHT is not aware of any fraudulent publication or use of information related to this event.

What Philadelphia FIGHT does. In response to this event, FIGHT promptly investigated and took steps to secure its network environment and is continuing its investigation to identify and provide written notification to anyone whose sensitive information may have been affected. FIGHT has also notified law enforcement and is working to develop and implement additional security measures, policies and procedures to reduce the likelihood of a similar future event.

What individuals can do. FIGHT is not aware of any fraudulent use of information from this event and cannot confirm whether any patient information was accessed or acquired by cyber attackers based on available evidence. Nonetheless, FIGHT encourages all members of the community to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft by reviewing account statements, monitoring free credit reports for suspicious activity, and reviewing the following”Steps You Can Take to Protect Information” for more information.

FIGHT understands that individuals may have questions about this event. Accordingly, we have set up a toll-free call center to answer your questions: 855-604-1814 between 09:00 – 9:00 p.m. Eastern TimeFrom Monday to Friday.

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO PROTECT INFORMATION

Monitor your accounts

Under US law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll-free 1-877-322-8228. You can also contact the three major credit bureaus listed below directly to request a free copy of your credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit report at no charge. An initial fraud alert is a one-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert appear on a consumer’s credit report, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are eligible for an Extended Fraud Alert, which is a seven-year fraud alert. If you would like to place a fraud alert, please contact one of the three major credit bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prevent a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the express permission of the consumer. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to control who has access to personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent application or application that you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage or any other account involving the granting of credit. Under federal law, you cannot be charged with placing or lifting a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of Birth;
4. Addresses for the previous two to five years;
5. Current proof of address, such as a current utility bill or phone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
7. A copy of the police report, investigation report, or complaint to law enforcement regarding identity theft if you are a victim of identity theft.

If you wish to freeze your credit, please contact the three major credit bureaus listed below:

Further information

You can learn more about identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or the your state’s attorney general. The Federal Trade Commission can be contacted at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, washington d.c. 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-VOL (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to make such a complaint using the contact details set out above. You have the right to file a police report if you are the victim of identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a complaint with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide proof that you have been a victim. Known or suspected cases of identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state’s attorney general.

SOURCE FIGHT Community Health Centers of Philadelphia