On September 29, 2023, Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc. (“Prospect Medical”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that a data security incident disrupted the operations of the company’s IT network. In this notice, Prospect Medical explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access sensitive information belonging to employees and their dependents, which includes their names and Social Security numbers. Upon completing its investigation, Prospect Medical 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 Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc., it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. As we’ve previously discussed in other posts, data breaches involving your Social Security number raise an especially serious risk of identity theft. However, 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 Prospect Medical Holdings data breach.

What Caused the Prospect Medical Holdings Breach?

The Prospect Medical Holdings data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Prospect Medical’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 1, 2023, Prospect Medical learned about a data security incident that impacted the functionality of a portion of the company’s computer systems.

In response, Prospect Medical secured its systems and launched an investigation with the assistance of a third-party forensics firm.

Prospect Medical’s investigation concluded that an unauthorized party gained access to the company’s IT network between July 31, 2023 and August 3, 2023. It was later determined that the unauthorized party was able to access certain data belonging to employees and their dependents while in the company’s system.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Prospect Medical Holdings reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name and Social Security number.

On September 29, 2023, Prospect Medical Holdings 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 which information of theirs was compromised.

More Information About Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc.

Founded in 1996, Prospect Medical Holdings is a holding company based in Los Angeles, California. Prospect Medical operates 16 hospitals in California, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, as well as a network of more than 165 outpatient clinics and centers. Prospect’s hospitals include:

• Bellflower Behavioral Health Hospital
• CharterCARE Health Partners
• Crozer Health
• Eastern Connecticut Health System
• Foothill Regional Medical Center
• Los Angeles Community Hospital
• Norwalk Community Hospital
• Southern California Hospital at Culver City
• Southern California Hospital at Hollywood
• Van Nuys Behavioral Health Hospital
• Waterbury Health

Prospect Medical Holdings employs more than 18,000 people and generates approximately $1.9 billion in annual revenue.