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(The Epoch Times)—The Social Security numbers of nearly one million Medicare beneficiaries may have been exposed in a data breach linked to a vulnerability in software used by a Medicare contractor in Wisconsin, the federal government has announced.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said in a Sept. 6 news release that a data breach at Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corp. (WPS), one of its contractors, may have exposed the personal information of 946,801 Medicare beneficiaries. The exposed information includes not only names and Social Security numbers but also taxpayer identification numbers, Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers, dates of birth, addresses, and hospital account numbers.
The breach occurred between May 27 and May 31, 2023, due to a vulnerability in MOVEit, a third-party software developed by Progress Software, which WPS used to transfer files as part of the Medicare claims process.
The breach was first disclosed publicly by Progress Software on May 31, 2023, and a patch to address the vulnerability was released soon after. However, a subsequent investigation by WPS in May 2024 uncovered new evidence that unauthorized third parties had accessed and copied files containing sensitive information before the patch was applied.
On July 8, 2024, WPS notified CMS that some of the affected files contained personal information including Social Security numbers, which can be damaging if exploited, as it opens the door to identity theft and fraud.
“At this time, we are not aware of any reports of identity fraud or improper use of your information as a direct result of this incident,” CMS and WPS stated in a notification letter to those affected.
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CMS said it’s working with law enforcement and cybersecurity consultants to safeguard the personal information of Medicare beneficiaries.
The agency also emphasized that beneficiaries’ Medicare coverage or benefits have not been impacted by the breach. New Medicare cards with updated Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers will be issued to those whose identifiers have been compromised. CMS advised beneficiaries to continue using their current cards until they receive new ones in the mail.
WPS, in coordination with CMS and law enforcement, is continuing to investigate the breach. The contractor has offered affected individuals 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity protection services, according to the agency.
The MOVEit vulnerability, first discovered in May 2023, has had widespread impacts, affecting both government and private organizations. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reported on June 15 that multiple federal agencies were compromised due to this vulnerability in the widely used file transfer software.
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The online extortion group Cl0p claimed responsibility for the breach reported by CISA but stated they would not use the stolen data from government agencies.
Five Reasons to Believe Trump’s Would-Be Assassins Are Deep State Assets
by JD Rucker
Tinfoil hat time. By no means am I going to convince anyone with this short article that Ryan Wesley Routh (or Thomas Michael Crooks, for that matter) is an asset for the Deep State. That is not the intention because to “prove” it would be as impossible as “proving” anything…
Hurricane Forecasts Poised to Be Spectacularly Overstated, Raising Doubt About Climate Science
by Just The News
Penn State celebrity climate scientist Michael Mann announced in April that his research group’s 2024 North Atlantic season forecast was expecting an “unprecedented” 33 named storms, with a range between 27 and 39. That prediction has turned out to be a dud. With Hurricane Francine hitting the coasts Thursday, the…
Another Attack on President Trump Prompted Prepper Surge
by Sponsored Post
The 2nd attempted assassination of Donald Trump has prompted renewed concerns over the nation’s future. Website traffic on Sunday was higher than it’s been in our history. One does not have to be a Republican to realize that chaos may be in store for us soon. At Prepper All-Naturals, we’re…
DJT’s Attempted Assassin Made 19 Donations to Democrats
by Independent Sentinel
The attempted assassin of Donald J. Trump is Ryan Wesley Routh, who has made 19 donations to Democrats. The donations were to Elizabeth Warren, fake Hispanic Beto O’Rourke, Andrew Yang, Tom Steyer, and Tulsi Gabbard. Allegedly, Routh also claimed to have fought in Ukraine in 2022 and supported the war….
Dem Rep. Crockett: MAGA Is a Domestic Threat, Trump Is Stoking Them
by Breitbart
Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) said Sunday on MSNBC’s “Inside” that MAGA is a domestic threat that former President Donald Trump is stoking them. Crockett said, “Springfield is going through hell, but they are going through hell because the guy who says he wants to be the commander-in-chief is actually bringing…
Sunlight and Clouds, Not CO2, Drive Earth’s Climate, New Study Finds
by The Epoch Times
This year’s summer months were characterized by cold outdoor pools that eagerly welcomed guests, concrete that scorched the soles of bare feet, and popsicles that melted in the relentless, blazing heat. In August, the European Commission’s Copernicus report found that the global average temperature had reached record highs in the…
The Man That Just Tried to Assassinate Donald Trump Has Very Alarming Links to Ukraine
by Michael Snyder
(End of the American Dream)—We are starting to learn more about Ryan Routh’s background, and what we have learned may help to explain why he attempted to shoot Donald Trump. It turns out that Routh is a rabid pro-Ukraine activist. In 2022, he actually traveled to Ukraine to fight in the…
Bill Gates Forecasts Another Global Pandemic ‘Likely’ Within Next 25 Years in Ominous Health Warning
by End Times Headlines
War or another global pandemic, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates is cautioning that, if the world manages to avoid the former, the latter is a very real possibility within the next 25 years. “A lot of unrest” in today’s age could spark a major war, he told CNBC’s “Make It.” “If…
US Foreign Policy Should Defy China, Recognize Taiwan as a Country
by The Gateway Pundit
The U.S., as the world’s most powerful country, should have an independent foreign policy. Currently, the U.S. abides by the One-China policy to appease Beijing. The U.S. should no longer allow Beijing to dictate its foreign policy and should recognize the independence of Taiwan, a high-functioning, multi-party democracy whose citizens…
Florida Will Conduct Investigation Into Trump Assassination Attempt: DeSantis
by Jack Phillips
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday announced the state will launch its own investigation into the apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump earlier in the day. The FBI has said in a statement it is investigating the matter as an assassination attempt, while law enforcement officials said on…
‘Stop This Reckless Escalation’: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Tells Biden Not to Authorize Long-Range Missile Attacks on Russian Territory
by The Gateway Pundit
The world is handing on the edge of a major escalation with unpredictable consequences, as Ukraine relentlessly pushes for the US to make decisions that can have unpredictable consequences. All around the world, peace-loving people who can see the danger ahead are cautioning the western NATO powers – notably the…