Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield is warning subscribers of a data breach that could lead to identity theft, after two company laptops were stolen from the Newark office.
The password-protected, unencrypted laptop computers, which were cable-locked to employee workstations, were stolen during the weekend of Nov. 1, the insurance company said.
Horizon said in a news release that Newark police were notified on Nov. 4, and an internal investigation began quickly afterward. Outside computer forensic experts began a detailed review, and confirmed that the laptops contained files with sensitive information.
The information included such name and demographic data as addresses, member identification numbers, dates of birth, and in some cases, Social Security numbers or clinical information, the insurance company said.
Due to the way the laptops were configured, it is not known whether the thieves had access to all the data, Horizon said. Still, the affected policyholders have been notified.
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Any one using healthcare.gov is also opening himself up to identity theft. The security experts all warn that there is no security surrounding the site. posting the personal information that is asked for is like posting it on a billboard as far as hackers are concerned. Buyer beware!