Squirrel Hill Health Center - Notice of Data Privacy Event

PITTSBURGH, April 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Squirrel Hill Health Center ("Squirrel Hill") today is providing information about a recent event that may impact the privacy of some personal data related to current and former patients.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Happened?  On February 4, 2021, Squirrel Hill became aware of suspicious activity on its computer network.  Squirrel Hill immediately launched an investigation, with the assistance of third-party computer forensic specialists, and determined that its network had been infected with malware which prevented access to certain files on the system.  The investigation determined that the malware was introduced into the system by an unauthorized actor and that certain files within Squirrel Hill's systems were impacted.  The activity occurred between January 28, 2021 and February 4, 2021.  Squirrel Hill then began a lengthy and labor-intensive process to identify sensitive information that may have been contained within impacted files, and to identify the individuals whose information may have been impacted.  Squirrel Hill is notifying those individuals whose information may have been impacted.

What Information Was Involved?  The information contained within the files at issue varied by individual but contained names, addresses, limited appointment scheduling details, dates of birth, diagnostic codes, and Social Security numbers for a small number of individuals. We have no evidence any information was subject to actual or attempted misuse.

What is Squirrel Hill Doing?  Squirrel Hill takes this incident and the security of personal information seriously. Upon discovery, Squirrel Hill immediately launched an investigation and took steps to secure its systems and investigate the activity.  Squirrel Hill worked diligently to investigate and respond to this incident and to identify and notify potentially impacted individuals.  Squirrel Hill is also reviewing and enhancing existing policies, procedures, and processes related to storage of and access to personal information.  Squirrel Hill is also reporting this incident to relevant state and federal regulators as required.  Squirrel Hill is notifying potentially impacted individuals so that they may take further steps to best protect their information, should they feel it is appropriate to do so.

What Can Affected Individuals Do?  While Squirrel Hill has no evidence that any personal information was subject to actual or attempted misuse, it encourages anyone who thinks their information may have been impacted to monitor financial accounts, Explanation of Benefits forms, and notify their bank immediately if they detect unauthorized or unusual activity.  You can also review the below Steps You Can Take to Help Protect Your Information.

For more information.  We understand some people may have additional questions concerning this incident.  Individuals can direct questions to (855) 935-6082 between 9 am and 6:30pm Eastern Time.

Steps You Can Take to Help Protect Your Information

Squirrel Hill encourages potentially impacted individuals to remain vigilant, to review your account statements and Explanation of Benefits forms, and to monitor your credit reports for suspicious activity.  Under U.S. law, individuals with credit reports are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report.  The credit reporting agencies may be contacted as follows:

You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself, by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. 

The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-­653-4261. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should be reported to law enforcement, your Attorney General, and the FTC. You can also further educate yourself about placing a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit file by contacting the FTC or your state's Attorney General.

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SOURCE Squirrel Hill Health Center