Rhode Island's officials have announced that a global cybercriminal organization has successfully breached RIBridges, the online portal for social services in the state. The hackers are reportedly engaging in extortion, demanding a ransom in return for access to residents' personal and banking information, which includes social security numbers.
Affected Programs
According to a report from Reuters, this incident impacts individuals enrolled in various state assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, healthcare services offered through HealthSource RI, Rhode Island Works (RIW), Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), and General Public Assistance (GPA).
Security Breach Confirmation
In a statement issued to the media, Governor Dan McKee's office stated that Deloitte has confirmed the likelihood that a cybercriminal has accessed files containing personally identifiable information from RIBridges. The breach was communicated to the state on December 13 by Deloitte, a global professional services company. In response, the state has temporarily taken the RIBridges portal offline to counter the threat and work on restoring the system as quickly as possible.
Next Steps for Residents
Deloitte has also indicated that "malicious code was found within the system." The governor's office mentioned that affected households will receive a letter by mail detailing how to access complimentary credit monitoring services. A special call center will be established starting December 15, operating from 11 am to 8 pm, Monday through Friday, to assist those impacted.
For more information, residents can check the official site at Governor.ri.gov.
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