A recent data breach has affected more than 35,000 individuals in the City of Philadelphia, raising concerns about the security of personal information. Between May and July 2023, the city’s email system was targeted by cyber attackers, potentially exposing sensitive data.
Upon discovering the breach, the city promptly notified those who may have been impacted. While there is no evidence of identity theft or fraud resulting from the incident, an “unauthorized actor” may have gained access to certain information, as stated in the city’s notification.
Full names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and health-related details are among the data that may have been compromised. The extent of the information accessed varies for each individual affected.
The city emphasized its commitment to information security, stating, “We take this event very seriously and have implemented additional measures to enhance the security of our systems and email environment.”
According to a report submitted by the City of Philadelphia to Maine’s attorney general, a total of 35,881 individuals were affected by the breach, including 15 residents of Maine. The incident was reported to have occurred on May 24, 2023, and was detected on July 28, 2023, with notifications sent out starting July 8.
If you have any inquiries related to the data breach, you can contact the city’s assistance line at 1-866-898-0867, available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., or reach out via email to HIPAAPrivacy@phila.gov.