By Laura French
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — A Mississippi ambulance service has reported a data breach involving an attempted ransomware attack that occurred in July.
AAA Ambulance Service said in a statement that the breach occurred on July 1, 2020, and that on Aug. 26, following a thorough investigation, it was determined that some individuals’ personal information had been accessed or taken from AAA’s systems.
Data involved in the breach included individuals’ first and last names combined with one or more of the following pieces of information: date of birth, social security number, driver’s license number, financial account number, diagnosis information, medical treatment information, patient account number, prescription information, medical record number and/or health insurance information.
“It is important to note ... that there is no evidence to suggest that any personally identifiable information or personal health information has been actually misused,” the AAA statement read.
The company stated that immediate action was taken after the attempted ransomware attack was detected in July, including actions to prevent data from becoming encrypted and inaccessible to AAA, further secure AAA’s data-storing systems and launch an investigation that included consultation with third-party forensic experts.
Individuals whose data was leaked in the breach were notified and offered complimentary credit monitoring services, according to AAA. The company established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident.
“The privacy and protection of private information is a top priority for AAA. We deeply regret any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause,” the statement read.