On July 2, 2024, the Egyptian Health Department (“EHD”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that the confidential information of more than 121,000 people was compromised. In this notice, the Egyptian Health Department explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, and financial account and bank account information. Upon completing its investigation, the Egyptian Health Department began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from the Egyptian Health Department, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Egyptian Health Department data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Egyptian Health Department Data Breach?

The Egyptian Health Department data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, the Egyptian Health Department’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on December 21, 2023, EHD detected unusual activity within its computer network. In response, EHD disconnected its systems and then launched an investigation with the help of third-party cybersecurity experts.

In February 2024, the EHD investigation confirmed that an unauthorized party had been able to access the company’s computer network, including files containing confidential consumer information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, the Egyptian Health Department reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. The Egyptian Health Department completed this process on June 12, 2024. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, phone number, and financial account and bank account information.

On July 2, 2024, the Egyptian Health Department sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Egyptian Health Department

Established in 1952, the Egyptian Health Department is a public health department serving residents of Saline, Gallatin, White, and Wayne counties. EHD provides a range of services, including adult behavioral health, youth behavioral health, health education, and substance use prevention & recovery. EHD operates eight locations in Southern Illinois, including in Carmi, Fairfield, Eldorado, Harrisburg, Junction and Shawneetown. The Egyptian Health Department employs more than 163 people and generates approximately $6 million in annual revenue.