News Summary
Rhode Island is reeling from significant data breaches affecting sensitive information of nearly 105,000 individuals, including residents linked to lottery operations and healthcare services. Brightstar Global Solutions Corp. experienced a major breach, while Providence Swedish reported another incident involving patient data. Additionally, an IT vendor for public benefits faced extortion threats over compromised personal data. State officials are urging vigilance and have announced remedial measures for those affected, including identity protection services and credit monitoring.
Rhode Island is facing significant concerns following a data breach that occurred in November 2024 at Brightstar Global Solutions Corp., a company responsible for technology services related to the state’s lottery operations. The breach has exposed sensitive personal information of 103,879 individuals, including 6,354 Rhode Island residents.
Brightstar Global Solutions, which was previously known as International Game Technology PLC, rebranded its global lottery division to Brightstar Lottery in June 2024. The breach has raised serious questions about the integrity of personal data for individuals associated with the lottery operation.
In addition to the Brightstar breach, Providence Swedish disclosed that it experienced a separate data breach involving a collections vendor, Nationwide Recovery Services (NRS). This incident transpired between July 5 and July 11, 2024, when an unauthorized third-party accessed patient files stored on the NRS network.
The data compromised in the Providence Swedish incident includes patient names, birth dates, addresses, Social Security numbers, financial account information, and medical-related information dating back as far as October 1989 through December 1997. Despite no longer using NRS services, Providence Swedish is taking proactive steps in responding to this situation and is maintaining transparency regarding the matter. Affected patients will be offered one year of complimentary identity protection services.
In an effort to reassure stakeholders, NRS has stated that it has confirmed the security of its systems since the breach and has implemented enhanced cybersecurity measures to prevent future incidents. Approximately 1,000 individuals were estimated to have been affected by this breach at Stevens Memorial Hospital, now operating as Swedish Edmonds. Notifications will be sent to those impacted, along with detailed instructions for enrolling in identity protection services.
Furthermore, a third incident affecting personal data was confirmed by Deloitte, an IT vendor managing the Rhode Island public benefits system. This incident caused the shutdown of the RIBridges and UHIP computer systems after malware was detected by Deloitte. Cybercriminals threatened to release personal data, including names, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and bank information belonging to individuals who applied for public benefits.
This alarming cyber threat involved extortion, with attackers demanding a ransom to avoid leaking the sensitive data. Households that may have been affected by this breach will receive notifications advising them of free credit monitoring services. State officials are encouraging users who applied for benefits dating back to 2016 to change their passwords and actively monitor their accounts for any suspicious activities.
The timing of this breach coincides with the open enrollment period for HealthSource Rhode Island, complicating benefit applications for those affected. In response to these incidents, state officials are planning to establish a dedicated call center to assist customers impacted by the data breaches.
As investigations into these breaches continue, affected individuals are urged to stay vigilant regarding their personal information and be aware of potential identity theft risks. The integrity of personal data remains a key concern amidst these growing incidents of cybersecurity failures.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- My Edmonds News: Providence Swedish Patient Information Breach
- Wikipedia: Data Breach
- Turn to 10: Providence Schools Data Breach Costs
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Cybersecurity
- HeraldNet: Edmonds Hospital Data Breach
- Google Search: Data Breach 2024
- Cybersecurity Dive: Rhode Island Ransomware Leak
- Google News: Rhode Island Data Breach
Author: STAFF HERE PROVIDENCE WRITER
The PROVIDENCE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREProvidence.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Providence, Providence County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as WaterFire, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and Rhode Island Comic Con. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus leading businesses in finance and manufacturing that power the local economy such as Citizens Financial Group and Textron. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Rhode Island's dynamic landscape.
