Alameda Health System (“AHS”) recently filed official notice with the federal government indicating that the organization experienced a data breach involving its email system. Evidently, the Alameda Health System breach affected 90,000 people, although the organization has not yet indicated what type of information was compromised as a result of the breach.

If you received a data breach notification, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. To learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft and what your legal options are in the wake of the Alameda Health System data breach, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What We Know About the Alameda Health System Data Breach

Alameda Health System only reported the breach a few days ago, and the AHS website does not yet contain a notice explaining the incident. Thus, the only information available is through the organization’s filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. Based on this information, it appears as though the breach involved a hacking or IT security incident affecting the AHS email system. As many as 90,000 people are believed to have been impacted by the Alameda Health System breach.

Alameda Health System is a public health care provider and medical training institution located in Oakland, California. Alameda Health System operates five hospitals in Alameda County, including Alameda Hospital, Fairmont Hospital, Highland Hospital, John George Psychiatric Hospital, and San Leandro Hospital. Additionally, AHS has four primary care medical centers within the county. Alameda Health System employs more than 4,500 people and generates approximately $1 billion in annual revenue.

The National Crisis Surrounding Data Breaches

Data breaches are not a new occurrence; however, given changes in how cybercriminals are carrying out their attacks, the risks these incidents pose to consumers are greater than ever before.

For example, between the years 2020 and 2021, the number of data breaches increased by 68%. However, the total number of data breach victims over this same period decreased by about five percent. Unfortunately, this isn’t necessarily good news. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the decrease in the number of victims is a function of cybercriminals focusing on obtaining specific types of data, such as bank account information, Social Security numbers, and protected health information. Not surprisingly, data breaches involving this type of information present a much greater risk to consumers.

All businesses and other types of organizations, including non-profits, healthcare providers and government entities, play an essential role in preventing data breaches. When an organization stores consumer data, it assumes a duty to protect that information. In this way, an organization’s data security system is the first line of defense against a cyberattack. Thus, it is imperative that organizations understand their responsibilities related to data security and that they take them seriously.

Unfortunately, many organizations have been slow to adopt the latest data security measures. A data breach class action lawsuit is one of the most effective ways of holding organizations accountable for their lax data privacy policies.