State officials announced on Saturday that a ransomware attack by international hackers may have compromised the personal and banking information, including Social Security numbers, of many Rhode Island residents. They revealed that the attackers are trying to extort money by threatening to release the stolen data unless a ransom is paid.
According to a statement from the governor’s office, Deloitte confirmed that it is very likely that cybercriminals accessed files containing personal information from the state’s social services portal, RIBridges. The breach occurred earlier this month, but Deloitte only verified it on Friday.
Governor Dan McKee emphasized that addressing this cybersecurity breach is a top priority for his administration. He stated that they are collaborating with law enforcement and IT experts to handle the situation and will keep the public informed about any developments.
The security breach impacted users of state government assistance programmes, including:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
- Health coverage via HealthSource RI
- Rhode Island Works (RIW)
- Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)
- General Public Assistance (GPA) Program.
The breach may impact anyone who has applied for or received benefits from these programs since 2016.
To tackle the security issue, the state has asked Deloitte to temporarily close RIBridges. During this time, new benefit applications should be submitted on paper until the system is fixed.
The state plans to send letters to the affected households to inform them about the situation and offer advice on how to protect their personal information and bank accounts.
