A cybersecurity breach at Yale New Haven Health, the largest healthcare provider in Connecticut, has exposed the personal data of over 5.5 million individuals, according to a mandatory disclosure filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The breach originated from a cyberattack that occurred in March, during which unauthorized attackers gained access to patient records containing sensitive personal and healthcare-related information. Yale New Haven Health indicated in a statement published on its official website that the nature and extent of exposed data varies by individual but may include patient names, birthdates, mailing and email addresses, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers, medical record numbers, as well as demographic details such as race and ethnicity.
The spokesperson for Yale New Haven Health cautioned that the number of impacted individuals could still change as the investigation continues. However, the health system’s representatives have not yet offered further comment or explanation regarding the circumstances of the breach.
This incident marks the second major healthcare data breach announced this week, following recent revelations by Blue Shield of California, which acknowledged having shared medical records of approximately 4.7 million patients with Google over a prolonged period.
