On September 7, 2023, Lifeline Systems Company (“Lifeline”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that an unauthorized person accessed documents containing confidential data on the company’s computer network. In this notice, Lifeline explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and state identification numbers. Upon completing its investigation, Lifeline 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 Lifeline Systems Company, 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 Lifeline Systems data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Lifeline Systems Breach?

The Lifeline Systems data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Lifeline’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on August 6, 2023, Lifeline detected suspicious activity within its computer network. In response, Lifeline isolated the affected portions of its system and then launched an investigation with the assistance of outside computer forensics specialists.

The Lifeline investigation determined that an unauthorized party gained access to the company’s network between July 27, 2022 and August 6, 2022 and, during that time, accessed documents on Lifeline’s computer system. On August 18, 20232, Lifeline confirmed that some of these documents contained confidential consumer information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Lifeline Systems reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. Lifeline reports that this review process was only recently completed, and while the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, Social Security number, driver's license number, and state identification number.

On September 7, 2023, Lifeline Systems 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 Lifeline Systems Company

Lifeline Systems Company is an elderly services company based in Framingham, Massachusetts. The company specializes in providing emergency and nurse-call systems to senior living communities. Lifeline serves more than 7.5 million users across the United States. Lifeline was formerly called “Philips Lifeline” when it was a subsidiary of Philips; however, that changed in 2021 when Lifeline was acquired by Connect America. Lifeline Systems employs more than 39 people and generates approximately $8 million in annual revenue.