SAIF Claims Medical and Social Security Benefits Are at Risk Due to Oregon Data Breach

By Gilbert E. On Jan 8, 2023

SAIF Claims Medical and Social Security: In November, the workers’ compensation insurance provider SAIF Corp. in Oregon experienced a data breach that exposed certain subscribers’ Social Security numbers and health information. The majority of the data, according to the group, was at least 20 years old, but some claimants who submitted paperwork in September and October may have had their medical information exposed.

“As far as we know, there is no ongoing danger or illegal activity on our network. We deeply regret any trouble this may have caused and, going ahead, are dedicated to strengthening our cybersecurity protections, according to a written statement from SAIF spokeswoman Lauren Casler. The insurance company provided free ID theft and monitoring services for at least a year and made additional information about the incident available online.

According to SAIF, the number of people affected by the breach has not been determined. SAIF, a non-profit organisation established by the Oregon Legislature more than a century ago, is the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance. It has over 54,000 policyholders, according to its annual report for 2021.

Cyberattacks on various companies, NGOs, and governmental organisations are becoming more common as hackers attempt to sell personal data online or hold it for ransom. Several well-known Northwest companies, including Burgerville, McMenamins, Yoshida Foods, Bob’s Red Mill, Ruby Receptionists, and The Allison Inn & Spa, have recently suffered setbacks.

SAIF stated that the breach occurred on October 24 and that consumers were notified on December 8. The insurance company stated that there is no proof that hackers abused the data and that it has notified law enforcement and enlisted the help of independent security experts to handle the situation. Further investigation, according to SAIF, revealed that the majority of claimant and policyholder data originated prior to 2003.

Hackers may have gained access to policyholders’ Social Security numbers, bank account information, and medical records, according to the insurance. Criminals may have obtained claimants’ Social Security numbers, licence numbers, bank account numbers, health insurance policy numbers, and medical histories.

Discussing On Big Issues About Hacking

According to SAIF, claims submitted between September 24 and October 25 of last year may have been accessed by the hack. The group said that only recognized and refused medical conditions might have been accessed by thieves. SAIF said, “There was a percentage of the collected customer data that we weren’t able to identify, nor were we able to determine the sort of information that was potentially contained,” however.

SAIF says data breach may have compromised Social Security numbers, medical information https://t.co/5aNdBSfUHv

— Oregonian Business (@OregonianBiz) January 7, 2023

The State Accident Insurance Fund Corp. of Oregon may have had more than 1,750 people’s private information exposed due to a cyber-security lapse. On Nov. 3, a hacker got into a SAIF auditor’s email account and stole the data, which included the names and Social Security numbers of the people. Emails on that account included private information on six firms’ employees who are covered by the quasi-public organization’s workers’ compensation insurance.

Those affected include some substitute teachers and school-classified employees in the Portland area. According to Lauren Casier, a SAIF spokesperson, there had been no reports of identity theft as a result of the incident as of late on January 3. SAIF’s vice president of underwriting, Bruce Hoffman, said in a statement to impacted employees, “SAIF is careful about securing the personal information that has been entrusted to us.”

“We are deeply sorry that this incident occurred. We’re looking into what needs to be done to avoid a repeat.” Employees were notified late in December that their personal information may have been compromised. The seven-week delay, according to Casier, was caused by the time required to physically scan email folders and attachments to determine what personal information was included and to write a message to workers.

Six companies buy insurance from SAIF, including Beaverton-based EMS SubDesk, which provides substitute teachers and classified staff to a number of public school districts in East Multnomah and Washington counties. A call to Katey Thomas, EMS SubDesk’s registered agent, for a response to the data breach went unanswered. A phone call and an email to the company’s general mailboxes went unanswered.

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