Los Angeles Times reports that Anthem Blue Cross accidentally posted online the Social Security numbers (SSNs) and tax identification numbers of approximately 24,500 doctors. The data was mistakenly published within an online directory last month. Meanwhile, GovInfoSecurity reports on three breaches involving health insurance exchanges, including in Vermont and Oregon. In a separate report, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT Chief Privacy Officer Joy Pritts discusses two essential steps organizations should take to help mitigate data breaches. More than 1,000 patients at California’s Redwood Memorial Hospital have been notified their personal information may have been compromised after an unencrypted USB drive was misplaced. Crown Castle has revealed that sensitive payroll data of its U.S. employees has been accessed by hackers. After a data breach affecting several city workers, the city of Milwaukee has said it will avoid using SSNs. And representatives from Adobe have said e-mails notifying those affected by a massive breach are taking longer than it anticipated.
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