80 Million Accounts Breached in Latest Cyber-Attack

cyber security

The second largest health insurance company, Anthem, is the latest to fall victim to a major cyber-attack. The hackers gained access to as many as 80 million accounts, stealing personal information that includes phone numbers, social security numbers and addresses.

"Anthem was the target of a very sophisticated external cyber-attack," Anthem president and CEO Joseph Swedish said in a statement posted on a website the company created for information about the incident.

Because of the amount of accounts jeopardized, this would make it the largest healthcare breach to date. However, the company claims that no medical or credit information was stolen, just personal information. This means that the breach doesn’t fall under the rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which was established in 1996 to protect the confidentiality and security of medical information.

Even company employees were vulnerable to the breach. "Anthem's own associates' personal information -- including my own -- was accessed during this security breach. We join in your concern and frustration and I assure you that we are working around the clock to do everything we can to further secure your data," Swedish said.

The company has set up a website, www.anthemfacts.com, where members can get information or call 877-263-7995 toll free.