ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Human Services is warning that some residents’ personal information may have been exposed after hackers gained access to employee email accounts earlier this year.
What we know:
State officials say they don’t believe anyone’s data has been misused, but they’re alerting those who could be affected just to be safe. The issue came to light when the Georgia Technology Authority, which manages the department's email systems, discovered unauthorized access to several accounts that held confidential information.
Once the breach was found, the state immediately secured the accounts and launched an investigation. DHS officials then began reviewing the emails to see whose data might have been compromised, tracking down current addresses to notify those people directly.
The types of information that may have been exposed vary by person and could include names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license details, medical and insurance information, and even financial account numbers.
What we don't know:
It’s not yet clear when the unauthorized access occurred or how long the affected email accounts were exposed before the breach was discovered.
DHS has not said how many people may have been impacted or whether the compromised accounts contained information from specific state programs, such as Medicaid or child welfare services.
It’s also unknown if the investigation has identified who was behind the breach or whether law enforcement is involved.
What they're saying:
Officials say they’ve seen no evidence that anyone’s information has been stolen or used for fraud, but they’re encouraging residents to keep an eye on their bank accounts and credit reports.
"We take our responsibility to protect people’s information very seriously and deeply regret any concern this may have caused," DHS said in a statement.
What you can do:
Anyone with questions can visit dhs.georgia.gov or call 1-800-405-6108, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
The Source: The details in this article were provided by Mullen Coughlin LLC, a private law firm specializing in data privacy and cybersecurity incidents, and were shared by the firm on behalf of the Georgia Department of Human Services.