Governor Dan McKee addressed the media tonight regarding a major cybersecurity breach of Rhode Island’s RIBridges system. The state’s vendor, Deloitte, informed officials on December 13 that a significant security threat had compromised the system, which manages various health and human services programs.
In response to the threat, the state says that it has proactively taken RIBridges offline. This move aims to allow the state and Deloitte to address the issue and restore the system as quickly as possible.
Deloitte has confirmed a high probability that a cybercriminal has obtained files containing personally identifiable information from RIBridges. The breach potentially affects individuals who have received or applied for health coverage and various health and human services programs.
Programs managed through RIBridges include Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), and health coverage purchased through HealthSource RI, among others.
While the full extent of the breach is still under investigation, Deloitte has indicated that the compromised information may include names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and certain banking information.
The state was first alerted to a potential cyberattack on December 5. At that time, it was unclear if any sensitive information had been breached. Appropriate federal law enforcement agencies and the Rhode Island State Police were notified.
Deloitte implemented additional security measures and began assessing the threat. On December 10, the state received confirmation of a breach based on a screenshot of file folders sent by the hacker to Deloitte.
On December 11, Deloitte confirmed the high probability that the implicated folders contained personal identifiable data from RIBridges. Two days later, the presence of malicious code in the system was confirmed, prompting the state to direct Deloitte to shut down RIBridges.
“We understand this is an alarming situation for our customers,” a press release said. Current RIBridges users will not be able to log into their accounts through the portal or mobile app while the system is offline.
The state is taking steps to assist affected individuals. Households that may have had personal information compromised will receive a letter by mail explaining how to access free credit monitoring.
A dedicated call center for impacted customers will be available starting Sunday, December 15, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. After Sunday, the call center will operate Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT.
While there is currently no evidence of identity theft or fraud related to this data breach, the state advises customers to remain vigilant and monitor their accounts for any unauthorized activity.
Recommended precautions include:
- Taking steps to freeze credit and/or place a fraud alert through the three major credit bureaus.
- Changing any common or reused passwords to new, strong, and unique ones.
- Contacting banks to inquire about additional security measures for bank accounts.
Rhode Islanders seeking to apply for benefits can still submit paper applications while the system is offline.
The state emphasizes its commitment to addressing the threat and restoring the system as quickly as possible. Updates will be made available at https://admin.ri.gov/ribridges-alert.
