On May 22, 2023, Apria Healthcare, a provider of home medical equipment and supplies, announced that it had experienced a data breach. The breach affected approximately 1.87 million people and may have exposed their names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and other sensitive information.
What happened?
Apria Healthcare believes that the breach was caused by unauthorized access to its computer systems. The attacker may have been able to access the systems between April 4, 2019 and October 10, 2021.
What information was exposed?
The information that may have been exposed in the breach includes:
Names
Addresses
Social Security numbers
Date of birth
Medical information
Financial information
What should you do if you were affected?
If you were affected by the breach, you should take the following steps:
Place a fraud alert on your credit report. This will make it more difficult for someone to open new accounts in your name.
Monitor your credit report for any unauthorized activity. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year at annualcreditreport.com.
Consider freezing your credit report. This will prevent anyone from opening new accounts in your name, but it will also make it more difficult for you to open new accounts yourself.
Sign up for identity theft protection. This service will monitor your credit report and notify you if there is any unauthorized activity.
What is Apria Healthcare doing to protect its customers?
Apria Healthcare is offering free identity theft protection services to all customers who were affected by the breach. The company is also working with law enforcement to investigate the incident.
How can you protect yourself from data breaches?
There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from data breaches, including:
Use strong passwords and change them regularly.
Be careful about what information you share online.
Be wary of phishing emails.
Keep your software up to date.
Back up your data regularly.
Conclusion
The Apria Healthcare data breach is a reminder that no one is immune to cyberattacks. By taking steps to protect yourself, you can reduce the risk of your personal information being exposed
