New Hampshire Health Department Data Breach Attributed to Former Patient

A psychiatric patient used a computer in a hospital library to post the personal information of 15,000 New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services clients.

The patient posted health information as well as names, addresses, Social Security numbers and Medicaid identification numbers, according to WMUR. Department officials acknowledged the breach Dec. 27.

The breach happened in October 2015, but New Hampshire Hospital staff found indication that the patient may have accessed other materials, such as training records, and posted them on social media sites last August, according to the report. The personal information was posted Nov. 4 and officials said it was removed within 24 hours.

The department has been notifying possible breach victims and set up call centers to share information about preventing identity theft.