Earlier this week it was Apple, now it’s the federal Department of Health and Human Services.
Just months ahead of the next enrollment season, a hacker reportedly gained access to a portion of HealthCare.gov in late July and uploaded malicious software.
The Wall Street Journal reports that, while the hack occurred, no evidence suggests that personal data was stolen during the breach. HHS officials only found out about the hack last week, according to the Journal.
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It was also the first successful attempt to break into HealthCare.gov, an official told the Journal.
“Our review indicates that the server did not contain consumer personal information; data was not transmitted outside the agency, and the website was not specifically targeted,” HHS said in a statement. “We have taken measures to further strengthen security.”
The attack on the website, where millions of individuals’ insurance information is stored, is the latest in a string of high-profile data breaches, of differing degrees, forcing the issue of data security to the forefront.
Community Health Systems, one of the biggest hospital operators in the country, is facing a class-action lawsuit for having 4.5 million patient records breached by sophisticated Chinese hackers. Apple reportedly had photos of celebrities leaked from its iCloud, calling into question whether the Silicon Valley behemoth is capable of pulling off some sort of digital health effort, to be announced next week.
The recent breach with HealthCare.gov is sure to be used as a political talking point as enrollment season coincides with election season.
