OTL

A security breach leaves personal information accessible

Due to a recent security breach, Wellpoint Inc. has notified their individual insurance customers that their medical records, credit card numbers and other sensitive information may have been exposed.

This security breach involves 470,000 of Wellpoint’s customers. According to the company, the breach came about from a program that customers use in order to track their application for coverage. The program allows customers to track their information by accessing their accounts with an issued password.

The breach was noticed when a customer out of California realized that she could access other customer’s personal information by simply manipulating Web addresses used in the program. Wellpoint did not learn of the problem until the customer filed a lawsuit against them in March. Spokeswoman Cynthia Sanders said the problem was corrected within 12 hours of notification.

According to Sanders, notification was sent to clients in most of the states that they cover including about 230,000 customers of its Anthem Blue Cross subsidiary in California.

Wellpoint boasts nearly 34 million members. They are the largest commercial health insurer. They run companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in 14 states and Unicare plans in several others.

Two years ago WellPoint offered free credit monitoring due to the fact that personal information for about 128,000 customers had been exposed online.

Wellpoint Glitch Leaves Personal Information Accessible