Los Angeles Department of Public Health Data Breach
The Lyon Firm is investigating a reported data security incident at the Los Angeles Department of Public Health (DPH). Contact our data breach lawyers to learn more about how to protect your data in the future and what can be recovered in the wake of this data theft event. Free and confidential consultations.
What Happened at the LA Department of Public Health?
The Los Angeles Department of Public Health (DPH) has reported a data breach, potentially impacting the personal information of as many as 200,000 individuals.
The data security incident was only recently announced but occurred way back in February 2024. The incident has been linked to a phishing attack that led to the compromise of 53 Public Health employees’ login credentials. The Public Health Department discovered the phishing attack and disabled the impacted email accounts, though it is thought to be a little too late.
If you get a notification letter in the mail from any entity, including the LA Department of Public Health, it is prudent to take steps to mitigate the damage and risk. You should consider contacting an attorney to file a class action privacy violation claim, which can compensate you for any financial losses, and hold any negligent company accountable. We believe any organization that collects and stores your personal data has a duty to protect it, and should they fail to hold up their end of the bargain, they may be legally responsible.
What Information was Compromised?
Using the stolen login credentials, the hackers allegedly gained access to the following personal information:
- Names
- Dates of birth
- Social Security numbers
- Diagnosis
- Prescriptions
- Health insurance information
- Patient IDs
- Medical record numbers
- Medicare/Med-Cal numbers
- Financial information
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is mailing notification letters to impacted employees, clients, and anyone else impacted by the data breach. A breach notice sample letter was submitted to the California Attorney General’s Office.
The same phishing attack impacted other California health agencies as well. In May, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health revealed that over 1,500 individuals were impacted after one of its employees fell victim to a phishing attack.
If you receive a data breach notification from the LA Department of Public Health regarding this incident, it is essential that you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself and prevent becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft. We can discuss your legal options following a data privacy or data breach event. For more information, please call for a free consultation.