Porter Regional Hospital warns patients of data breach
VALPARAISO, Ind. (WLS) -- A Chicago area hospital is now warning patients about a security breach.
If you were a patient in the last five years here at Porter Regional Hospital or one of its affiliated clinics, you may be affected. The stolen information includes social security numbers.
"I'm floored with this. Just so many people I know are getting these letters. And just one by one, hey I got it, too. It's me, too," said Kimberly Crawford, Porter Hospital patient.
The letter warning of a data breach came from Porter Physicians Group, an affiliate of Community Health Systems, a Tennessee-based company that runs several hospitals across the country, including Porter Hospital in Valparaiso, Metro South Medical Center in Blue Island, and two Vista Medical Centers in Waukegan.
Last month, the company said Chinese hackers had attacked its computers in April and June. No credit card numbers or medical records stolen, but other information, including social security numbers, had been accessed, affecting 4.5 million patients nationwide.
"I feel defeated, angry at first. I was real angry," said Crawford.
Such cyber attacks now make weekly headlines, with Target, restaurant chain P.F. Chang's - and last week, Chase Bank - among the victims.
On Tuesday, Home Depot customers were warned to check their credit and debit accounts after a possible breach by Russian hackers.
For Kimberly Crawford, it's all cruel dj vu. Her identity, she says, has been stolen before, and it's taken years to repair her credit.
"Beware. It's not safe anymore. Check your passwords," said Crawford.
Besides social security numbers, names, addresses, and birth dates may have also been accessed.
On Tuesday night, Eyewitness News' calls and emails to Porter Health Care System and its parent company were not returned.
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