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NC Medicaid Data Breach Exposes 13,000 Patients

Posted: March 6, 2017 to News.

Tags: Data Breach, Malware, Compliance

The information of almost 13,000 North Carolina Medicaid patients was exposed in an unencrypted email last year. The email, which was sent by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on November 30, contained the information of 12,731 Medicaid patients who are in assisted living homes.  The information included names, locations and Medicaid numbers.  Even though the email was not encrypted, the email is not believed to have been intercepted.  However, the incident was self-reported to the US Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights and affected patients and their guardians have been alerted as well. This is not the first time the NCDHHS had a security issue.  An unencrypted email with the information of 1,600 patients was sent in 2015 and 49,000 Medicaid cards were sent to a wrong address in 2013. The NCDHHS has taken steps to increase the security and awareness used in their communications and recommended that people on the list watch their bank statements for any signs of fraud and turn on credit alerts. It can't be stressed enough that your employees need to know proper security procedures.  Make sure your company is not at risk from a simple mistake with security awareness training.

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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
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