LOS ANGELES, CA – Kaiser Permanente reported a privacy breach affecting approximately 13.4 million current and former members and patients. The health care provider stated that it is reaching out to individuals impacted by the breach and assured that there have been no reports of any misuse of the compromised information.

The compromised data may have included IP addresses, individuals’ names, and details on how they interacted with Kaiser’s website and mobile applications. This breach, according to a cyber expert interviewed by ABC7, seems to focus more on privacy rather than on data theft, where personal information is shared with other entities without authorization.

Dr. Clifford Neuman, Director of USC Center for Computer Systems Security, explained that in cases like this, personal data is shared with organizations like Twitter, Google, or Microsoft. Kaiser Permanente emphasized that sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, Social Security numbers, and financial details were not part of the information transmitted to these third parties.

In a statement to Eyewitness News, Kaiser Permanente expressed regret for the breach and informed members of the steps taken to prevent a recurrence. The health organization assured users that they have implemented additional safeguards to protect against similar incidents in the future.

With data privacy becoming an increasingly vital concern in the digital age, incidents like these underscore the importance of stringent security measures to protect individuals’ sensitive information. Kaiser Permanente’s response to this breach serves as a reminder of the ongoing vigilance required to safeguard against potential privacy violations and cyber threats in the healthcare sector.