Brigham Young University Data Breach

The March 2024 Data Breach at Brigham

On March 5, 2024, Brigham and Women's Hospital experienced a data breach due to an error in their Patient Gateway portal. This error resulted in the accidental linking of two patient accounts, allowing one patient to view information that was not intended for them. The issue was identified and rectified by March 12, 2024, ensuring that the incorrect link was removed and could no longer be accessed.

Information Exposed

The types of information that were inadvertently exposed include:

• Names
• Date of birth
• Address
• Clinical information
• Insurance number

Brigham's Response

Upon discovering the breach, Brigham and Women's Hospital took immediate action to sever the incorrect link between the patient accounts. They have also committed to enhancing their security measures and increasing employee training to prevent similar incidents in the future. The hospital continues to monitor the situation closely and has implemented additional safeguards to protect patient information.

Steps to Take if You Are Affected

If you believe your information was compromised in this breach, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself:

1. Place a Security Freeze: Contact each of the three major credit bureaus to place a security freeze on your reports. This will prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent.

• Equifax
• Experian
• TransUnion

1. Monitor Your Accounts: Regularly review your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions. Report any suspicious activity immediately.
2. Check Your Credit Reports: You can obtain a free credit report from each of the credit reporting agencies once per year at AnnualCreditReport.com. Review these reports for discrepancies.
3. Set Up Fraud Alerts: Contact one of the credit bureaus to request that a fraud alert be placed on your file. This makes it harder for identity thieves to open accounts in your name.

About Brigham

Brigham and Women's Hospital, a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is renowned for its outstanding patient care, comprehensive training, and pioneering biomedical research. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, it is part of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system and serves a diverse population from the New England area and beyond. For more information, visit their website at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

For further details on the breach and how to manage its potential consequences, please refer to the official notice provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General.