U of Alabama warns medical providers of data breach on old computer

Mackenzie Garrity -

The University of Alabama has alerted around 1,400 former clients, employees and medical providers at its Tuscaloosa-based Brewer-Porch Children's Center of a data breach that may have exposed some personal information, according to Tuscaloosa News.

In June, staff were preparing to dispose of a computer server used prior to 2009. During that time, they discovered unauthorized login activity had occurred between October and December 2009. UA officials said that anyone who received services at Brewer-Porch between September 2002 and December 2008 may have been affected.

Medical provider information that may have been exposed included names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, demographic information, billing credentials, other employment related-information and other less sensitive information.

Employees, clients and medical providers are being offered free credit monitoring and identity theft protection.

"We do not have evidence that personal information was in fact accessed or used," said John McGowan, the university's vice provost for information technology and CIO, to Tuscaloosa News. "However, because there was an opportunity for access, we have set up a dedicated call center, created an incident website, mailed notices to employees and medical providers, and issued a press release in an effort to notify the 727 former clients and 641 former and current employees and medical providers whose personal data was stored on that server in 2009." 

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